Muncie, IN—Discover the History of East-Central Indiana’s Native American Culture in New Book
Native Americans of East-Central Indiana is the newest addition to The History Press’ American Heritage Series, and is set to release on June 6, 2016. Written by local author Chris Flook, the book is the first that explores the history and archaeology of Native Americans in east-central Indiana.
Chris Flook
Native Americans lived, hunted and farmed in east-central Indiana for two thousand years before the area became a part of the Hoosier State. Mounds and enclosures built by Adena and Hopewell peoples still stand near the White River and reflect their vibrant and mysterious cultures. The Lenape tribes moved to east- central Indiana many years later after the Northwest Indian War. Led by the great chiefs Buckhongehelas and Kikthawenund, the White River Lenape attempted to forge an identity after being forced from their homeland on the Atlantic coast. Place names like Delaware County, Muncie, Yorktown and Anderson demonstrate the importance of the tribe in local history. Author Chris Flook explores the unique yet often untold history of the Native experience in east-central Indiana.
Highlights from the book, “Native Americans of East-Central Indiana” include:
* Several drawings, sketches and paintings were commissioned for this book, featuring never before seen historical events.
* The book includes a comprehensive and unique history of the Lenape/Delaware in east-central Indiana.
* Images include never before seen photos of pre-European contact Native American artifacts.
While discussing his new book, Chris said, “In the end, I hope the book creates deep interest in Native American history and archaeology. In Indiana’s bicentennial year celebration, we often look back and reflect on the 200-year history of Indiana. While this history is amazing and unique, it’s limited to just the Euro-American experience. Evidence of human beings living in this area stretches back 10,000 years! The history of east-central Indiana, Indiana, and all of the Midwest is overwhelmingly Native. More often than not, the Native experience is pushed to the backdrop with the scenery. It is my hope that Native Americans of East-Central Indiana will reassert the importance of Native American history as the history of Indiana. The first half of the book also deals primarily with the archeological record of east-central Indiana. This record is complete and has never been properly synthesized. Perhaps this book will renew interest and generate support for archaeologists to conduct the necessary research to explore the topic further.”
The book will be available for purchase on June 6th directly from Arcadia Publishing & The History Press, publishers of local and regional history books.
About the Author
Chris Flook is a life long resident of Muncie, Indiana.Chris is a lecturer of telecommunications at Ball State University where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in video production, web design, motion graphics, and documentary filmmaking. Flook also leads several student-led community engagement projects related to local history including: The Lenape on the Wapahani River – a documentary about the Delaware in east-central Indiana; A Legacy Etched in Glass – a documentary about the five Ball brothers in Muncie; Indiana Crossrails – a website, documentary, and commercial series advocating for mass rail transit in Indiana; and Historic Muncie – a website and documentary series about historic preservation in Muncie’s nationally registered historic districts.Flook and his students are working closely with the Indiana Office of Tourism Development in fall of 2016 to provide all media and a documentary for the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay.
Flook is active in promoting local and regional history. In 2013, he completed a photo survey of all 92 Indiana Courthouses and their adjacent squares: http://indianacourthousesquare.org/. Starting in 2014, Flook began a photo survey of all Indiana hamlets, villages, and small towns: http:// smalltownindiana.com/.
Flook is the vice-president of the Delaware County Historical Society and a board member of the Indiana Barn Foundation. Flook has also worked professionally in creative services since 2004.
