Medaryville collaborative, 'Friends of Medaryville Gymnasium,' works to restore history 

MEDARYVILLE, Ind. -- A new project is in the works, restoring a historical building in Medaryville. A group of seven people formed a collaborative called “Friends of Medaryville Gymnasium.”

This gym has been around for many years and has served many purposes. Starting first as the home gym for the Medaryville Black Horses, then turning into the VFW many years later. 

The gym now sits empty for at least a year, but the president of this collaborative, Morgan Federer plans to change that. She says, “They don't build gyms like this anymore. This is, you know, there's only so many left, and they're being torn down all the time across Indiana. I mean, this is the Hoosier state. We're about basketball. We love it. But I tell people all the time, this is so much more than just about a gym.”

Recently the group got approved to be a non-profit organization and now the next step is collaborating with grant opportunities and other organizations to form the plan for renovation. 

Recently they held a work meeting where they cleaned out around 50 tons of garbage. 

Upstairs is the main attraction, the gym with a beautiful arched ceiling. But downstairs holds a lot of potential too. There are former classrooms and big rooms where the VFW would hold events.

The group hopes to preserve many of the core pieces of the gym, including the bleachers, floor, stage, and even the original basketball hoop.

The group says this project will take at least two to three years to complete as the president expects there may be setbacks due to the current state of the building. 

Medaryville is a smaller town in Pulaski County, the president of the collaborative explains. Everyone knows everyone. So, with these connections comes many historical family ties to this building. 

Federer sits to watch baseball games across from this building at the baseball field. She often talks with other parents and friends who all question why this building is still abandoned. So, Federer is taking action, finding ways to restore this core part of Medaryville’s history. 

Two of the members had family members who attended the former high school. Federer's father graduated in 1966. She explains, “So, he passed away in 2016. I know that he would be very excited about this, so I'm kind of, you know, it's a way to honor him, as well as others who have passed. And you know, they won't get a chance to see the finished product, but many will. So, you know, it's for all of them.”

Another member, Stephanie Culp, says both her parents made tons of memories in this gym, but that's just where her ties to this building begin. Culp explains, “This gym was something that my family played in. Played basketball. My dad played basketball here. I've got uncles that played basketball here. My mom and dad went to prom here. It holds a lot of family history in that.”

A major reason this collaborative is working to bring this place back is for the alumni much like Culp and Federer's family members. Federer says, “We had alumni that walked in, and they hadn't been in here for many years, and they had tears in their eyes, because it's not how they remember, it's not how they want to see it.”

While this project is still in its early phases, this group plans to restore what their history was, and make it their future. 

For more information and updates on the project visit Friends of the Medaryville Gymnasium.

For more information on the donation process, visit Medaryville Gymnasium Community Project Fund.