I’ve always been drawn to places where people once gathered, and old theaters seem to pull me in more than most. I’d known about the Hartford Theater near downtown Hartford City for years, but I’d never actually stopped to take pictures of it. Even with its current use, the building still gives itself away- in a town of about 6,000, it doesn’t take much to spot a former movie palace.
It’s hard to imagine now, but Hartford City once supported not one, but three theaters- the Dawn, the Orpheum, and the Jefferson1. In 1946, Frank Walters and M. H. Scheidler broke ground on a new movie house designed to expand upon that tradition. Their answer was the Hartford Theater, a modern venue that seated 1,000 patrons behind an imposing granite façade2.
The Hartford opened on May 6, 1948, with a showing of The Red Stallion with Robert Paige3. Some sources say it closed around 19644, but I’m not sure that’s correct: ads for the theater persisted through the early 1970s, when Indianapolis Nightmare Theater icon Sammy Terry appeared there5.
The Hartford had been shuttered for two years before it reopened under new management in 1975. That year, one movie was scheduled each weekend with showings at 7:30, along with 2:00 matinees6. It seems like that arrangement didn’t last long, but I’m not sure when the place closed for good.
Today, the old Hartford Theater appears to do triple duty in Hartford City. The front of its marquee advertises Hartford Square Apartments, while angled portions call out Grant-Blackford Mental Health, Incorporated, and the Hester Hollins Concern Center.
Old theaters are easy to romanticize, but what really matters is that they don’t vanish entirely. The Hartford no longer sells tickets or dims the lights for a Saturday night crowd these days, but it still does what it has always done by bringing people inside. The names on the marquee have changed, and the purpose is different, yet the building remains a place of community in the heart of Hartford City.
Sources Cited
1 Vogel, J. (2010, January 2). Cinema Treasures. Web. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
2 INDIANA (1946, November 28). Film Daily. Web. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
3 New Officials Take Over at Hartford City (1948, January 2). The Muncie Star. p. 11.
4 Hartford Theatre (n.d.) Cinema Treasures. Web. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
5 In Person on the Stage (1971, November 5). The Muncie Star. p. 24.
6 Hartford Theater Reopens for Weekend Showings (1975, May 1). The Muncie Star. p. 26.
A “Concern Center”? There’s a blog post right there. 😛
Actually, I’m amazed at how long many of these small theaters lasted after the advent of television.
Pretty sure it’s a rehab facility. I just shared this on a local history group, so we’ll see if any more information pops up!
I made a bunch of jokes about that,too – I’m his sister and was along for the ride! Started enumerating reasons to pull over for a minute – everything from the economy to my gray roots! 😆
But yes, it’s an artfully named rehab center.
Looks like a dreary place for apartments.
I think so too.
M.H. Scheidler, no (recent) relation, who was lucky enough to retain the intended spelling of the name! You can actually tell how that’s meant to be pronounced!
I don’t care for it
My husband worked there in high school.
Frank Schwartzkopf graduated in 1965.
Nice!