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The 1929 Cyrus E. Dallin (American 1861-1944) sculpture was purchased by Edmund F. Petty in 1975, who proposed that it be acquired as a tribute to his father, Fred J. Petty. In 1976, the memorial was donated to the City of Muncie and was installed at the intersection of Walnut and Charles Streets in front of the Ball Stores department store.
By the summer of 1999, the department store had closed, and the building had been demolished. Street repairs necessitated moving the statue, so the opportunity was taken to perform much-needed restoration and preservation. The sculpture has been displayed at Minnetrista since the restoration until it was moved to Downtown Muncie on September 26, 2007.
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