One of the most dramatic eras in Indiana history, the natural gas boom in the east central region transformed a mostly agricultural area into a major industrial center. The discovery of natural gas created major cities in the place of county seat towns, boomtowns where there had been villages, and factories towering over former farm land. The impact of the boom lived on even after gas itself failed. Through a collection of vintage images, authors James A. Glass and David G. Kohrman provide an overview of the boom era and its legacy in the four county seats of the gas belt: Muncie, Anderson, Kokomo, and Marion, as well as smaller communities such as Elwood, Fairmount, and Gas City.
James A. Glass is director of both the Center for Historic Preservation and the graduate program in Historic Preservation at Ball State University in Muncie. He has researched the gas boom extensively, presenting his findings in publications and slide shows throughout the gas belt. David Kohrman is student in Ball State University's Historic Preservation graduate program. Originally from Michigan, he has published two previous book with Arcadia: Kalamazoo and Detroit's Statler and Book-Cadillac Hotels. This project is sponsored by Minnetrista, an organization that creates awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage of East Central Indiana.