Read time: 3 min.

From an architectural standpoint, Knightstown, Indiana, packs a surprising punch for such a small town. Among many other outstanding buildings, the place is home to the stunning Knightstown Academy, the iconic Hoosier Gym, an ornate Masonic Hall, and the standout Probasco and Hinshaw houses. One structure I keep circling back to, though, is the old town hall. It’s not the flashiest, but there’s something that keeps pulling me in. Maybe it’s the mystery, since I haven’t uncovered a whole lot about it. 

I’ve spent a lot of time in Knightstown over the past few years as I’ve helped my mom research an old family diary written by a Quaker ancestor who lived nearby. One frequent stop for fill-ups and food is the BP at the corner of Main and Franklin Streets. The old town hall sits right across the road between Main and Brown. Built in 1892, the structure originally served as Knightstown’s municipal headquarters, with spaces for town government, a jail, a police station, and the fire brigade¹. It did so until the 1960s, when a new town hall was erected². 

Today, Knightstown’s community offices are located inside the Morgan Building, which was completed in 1867³ and was once home to The First National Bank⁴. The old town hall sits a couple of blocks west. An imposing structure that rises two and a half stories, the building features a center gable, a slate hipped roof, and a tiny belfry that appears to lean more to the west every time I see it. Facing east, the primary facade features five bays that include a door, a window, two overhead bays, and a pair of double entrances. A brick corbel table supports a projecting cornice with modillions⁵. 

Knightstown’s old town hall has worn a lot of hats over the years. It served as a voting precinct until 1962⁶, then played host to the Lions Club and VFW later in the 1960s⁷. In the 1970s and 80s, it was home to apartments⁸. By 1986, it housed an antique store with apartments on the second floor⁹. I’m not sure what role -if any- it plays today,  but whatever its current fate, I’d hate to see this piece of local history vanish. Every time we pass, my Mom asks if I should take another picture. Eventually, I listened to her! Just after I pressed the button on my iPhone screen, a flock of pigeons vanished into the building’s open windows.

Sources Cited
1 National Register of Historic Places, Knightstown Historic District, Knightstown, Henry County, Indiana, National Register # 86001104.
2 (See footnote 1).
3 Courthouselover (2018, March 30). Morgan Building and Old First National Bank (Knightstown, Indiana). Fllckr. Web. Retriebed July 17, 2025.
4 Hull, S. (n.d.). Knightstown. Indiana Places. Web. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
5 (see footnote 1).
6 New Voting Place (1962, May 3). The Tri-County Banner. p. 1. 
7 Community Newsreel (1962, October 4). The Tri-County Banner. p. 1. 
8 Old Town Hall Apt. (1985, June 12). The Tri-County Banner. p. 18. 
9 (See footnote 1).