Wysor Block Building

The Wysor Block (also called the Wysor Building) in Muncie, Indiana, was commissioned by Harry R. Wysor, son of influential early resident Jacob H. Wysor, a businessman who played a key role in Muncie's early growth through milling, real estate, and public works. The original structure on the site was the Opera House Building; Wysor added three stories to it so that by about 1906 it reopened as a six-story “Wysor Building.” The architect was Cuno Kibele, a prominent local architect whose firm later became Kibele & Garrard.

The Wysor Block evolved from a theatrical facility into a classic early-20th-century commercial block: by 1905-06 the Wysor family replaced the old opera-house footprint with a five-story Wysor Block whose street level was divided into multiple limestone-faced storefronts that housed retail shops and, according to the 1911 Sanborn map, at least one bank, while the mezzanine and upper floors were given over to professional offices, meeting rooms, and business suites.

The Wysor Block Building was one of downtown Muncie's landmark commercial sites. Located at Main and Walnut, the building was demolished in 1986 after a serious fire impaired the structure. The extensive damage from the fire made the building unsafe, and despite its historic and architectural significance, repair and restoration were judged either too costly or impractical. The decision was made to slate it for demolition, rather than preserve it.

For more information, visit: https://dmr.bsu.edu/digital/collection/sg/search/searchterm/Wysor%20Block%20(Muncie%2C%20Ind.)/