04/03/2026
The story of Cardinal Greenways dates back to the early 1900s when the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad line expanded to connect Cincinnati to Chicago, passing through Richmond and Muncie. When the line was officially abandoned and federal notice was given in the early 1990s, community members in East Central Indiana recognized the opportunity to transform the corridor into a trail that could connect East Central Indiana’s small towns and cities. In early January 1993, a public meeting at Ball Corporation’s downtown Muncie headquarters drew over 200 people, with many enthusiastically supporting the idea of acquiring the abandoned property. Years of determination, grit, and patient persistence followed with Cardinal Greenways eventually building 60+ miles of paved trail—with even more miles on the horizon today. Ball Brothers Foundation has been proud to support Cardinal Greenways since the beginning, facilitating early meetings with key stakeholders, providing matching dollars for construction, and supporting new projects over the decades.
