Hartford, Indiana, Level 4 Ghost Town
With a population of less than 25, Hartford, Indiana is a "Level 4 Ghost Town" which is the most common type of ghost town in the Midwest.
In the early years Hartford was a very vibrant community that was home to school teachers, auctioneers, a dress maker, a physician/surgeon, an attorney, a shoe maker, mills, farmers, two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, 2 stores, a church, a school, two lodges and more!
Over the years the town of Hartford had a total of four flour and saw mills running along the banks of Laughery Creek. However it appears that the last mill was wiped out in the 1937 flood. When they were in business it has been said that at times between 1 and 2 dozen flat-boats would line the banks of Laughery Creek carrying corn, flour, lumber whiskey & stone.
The town had 2 general stores as far back as 1860 when it had a population of 114 people. The one store is still somewhat standing at the Northeast Corner of Hartford Pike and Hartford Ridge. At this point it’s beyond repair and only a matter of time before the whole thing is lost. There was a newer general store over on the northwest corner of Hartford Pike and Hartford Ridge but that is also closed now.
A Post Office was established in 1844 and is reported to have closed in 1891 but I think it may have been operating well into the 1900s. The building was demolished sometime between 2003 and 2005.
When first established, the Methodists built a brick church in 1838. However for some reason the brick structure was replaced with the current wooden frame church in 1899 and then went through a series of closures and reopenings beginning in 1945. I think it has been closed since the late 1990s and if I remember correctly I believe I saw rare curved pews inside the church many years ago. Unfortunately, nature is taking over this building. I received word that people have offered to purchase the old church with the intent to restore it but unfortunately the current owner has turned down all offers.
In 1831 a stone school house was built near the Southwest corner of Hartford Ridge and Hartford Pike of which portions of the walls are still standing. That school was later replaced in by another school house about 200 yards east of Hartford Ridge and the south side of Hartford Pike. I know there is some type of structure on that hillside but once again the vegetation has begun to takeover to a point that you really can’t see anything from the roadway so I don’t know if this is the old school house or not.
In the mid 1800s Hartford had a hotel which featured running water. A true luxury at the time which attracted travelers from miles around.
Two lodges were built in town. A Free & Accepted Masons lodge and an I.O.O.F. Lodge although only the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge is still standing today. I have no idea where the other lodge stood.
A concrete phantom bridge sits on the west side of Hartford and on the south side of Hartford Pike. The bridge was probably built in the 1930s and bypassed in the mid 1960s when Hartford Pike was realigned.
One of the more infamous legends about Hartford is the dryford across Laughry Creek. Since the beginning of time, the only way to reach Hartford from the north was by crossing Laughery Creek when the water level was low enough. This was the only way in from the north up until the mid 1990s when a bridge was built a half mile down stream connecting Nelson Road and Cole Lane. The dry ford was a concrete pad that was relatively safe to cross when the water was low. Unfortunately some people tried crossing during high water levels and had to be plucked out by water rescue or in a few cases, didn’t survive.
Today Hartford, Indiana is only a shell of it’s former self. Less than a dozen houses make up Hartford with a population of only about 20-25 people. Will anything be left in Hartford 100 years from now? Only time will tell.
GPS Location: 38°59'35.6"N 84°57'24.8"W
Watch for my upcoming series on Ghost Towns across the Midwest.
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The Ghost Town of Bonnell, Indiana: • The Ghost Town of ...
The Ghost Town of Mt. Lawn, Indiana: • The Ghost Town of ...
The Ghost Town of Columbia Park, Ohio: • 1920s Ghost Town Locat...
The LaGrange Phalanx Ghost Town, Brushy Prairie, Indiana: • The LaGrange Phalanx...
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I grew up in the Old Wilber Store building from 78-95 and the pictures of it has my dad's truck and his boat in it. My Grandma lived below the Mason lodge so neat to see you cover this
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
No kidding? That was his truck & boat?
@willabella188
11 ай бұрын
@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 That was his old truck with the camper on top and his boat in the back of the house
@amandaunderwood321
11 ай бұрын
Is this Amy? Cause this is Amanda, which I used to come and stay all night. So much fun😊
@willabella188
11 ай бұрын
@@amandaunderwood321 Yes this is Amy and that is awesome. yes so much fun.
@stephenjohnson9499
9 ай бұрын
Hi Amy. This is Stephen.
These are the places I look for when I go riding on my motorcycle. I think it is fascinating to to see them first hand, then try to imagine what life looked like back in their heyday. I appreciate your videos. It's videos like this, that can give us a look back, with info on what went on and happened to the places. This one is within a day ride, I'll defiantly make this a pass through place. Thanks
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it. There's a whole world out there to discover.
I lived 2 miles up the hill (south) . We went to church there. Got gas and some groceries. Knew several residents and relatives there. More to be said . Thank you for your work.✅
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
Glad you liked the project.
This was a blast from the past! I grew up in Switzerland County in the 80s and when I started driving all these backroads were my stomping grounds. In my junior year I dated a girl whose mom crossed the ford in Hartford 5 days a week, depending on water levels, to get to work.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Glad it brought back some memories.
What a great video! I lived in one of the Cole houses (the one on Cole Lane) from late sixties to mid seventies and would walk the mile, cross the ford to the general store, open at the time, and buy me a Mickey Banana Flip! Yum!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
The good old days!
This is extremely well done!! I grew up here from 1988 on!! On Nelson road
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it Laura.
Thank you so much for this! I have lived about 1/2 mile from the center of town for 45 years and I remember Mrs Bennetts store so well! Also, you are correct about the pews in the Methodist Church....they were beautiful, curved wooden pews I'd guess spanning maybe 14 feet? They formed a broken modifyed horseshoe shape if I am remembering correctly. I do wish you had shown Miami Mound, the large brick house on the outskirts of town that was built in 1822. It is inhabited and has been as long as I have lived here.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Glad you liked the video!
@dandecamp3901
11 ай бұрын
Has the mound ever been examined by an archaeologist?
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
I don't know if it has or not.
@steveremke7968
9 ай бұрын
In the early 70's, my family owned the property going out of Hartford towards Rising Sun on Nelson Road. The one with the stone spring house next to the road. Mr. Pew (or Pugh) lived in this house. He would walk his 2 black labs and come see us. I was about 6 or 7 at the time. He would tell me stories of hearing the footsteps in the house of the Indians that rose from the mound at night. Made quite the impression on my young mind!
@ronaldelliott4924
9 ай бұрын
@@dandecamp3901 Indian burial ground. Also one about one mile west also.
I remember going to the original General Store with my great grandfather in the 70s. The old man that ran it was just golden. I also remember the new store of course but it just never had the character and charm of the original one. Sad to see the church deteriorate. That church was always so beautiful when I was growing up. I guess I know most of the ones who lived close because I lived up the hill several miles. We lived where my great grandfather Bob Walton lived and farmed.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
It was a neat little town.
The before and after pictures blew my mind. Great job!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Glad you liked that portion of the video.
Another beautiful area to ride. I have also spotted a bald eagle on down the road from Hartford.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
You'll find some Bald Eagles over in the Ox Bow just outside of Lawrenceburg also.
What a great idea, doing haunted locations series leading up to Halloween.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Not exactly "haunted" but neat just the same.
Awesome episode! Love the before and today photos! Great find! Thanks for sharing the history!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Glad you liked that portion of the video.
The Hartford Ford was a treat! Figuring out just how flooded it was was not easy. I used to drive home from work as a teen from Krogers in Laerenceburg and cross it nearly every day of the week. To say i had some very close calls would be putting it mikdly. But i never got stuck on it once. But i knew people who were stranded and people who died trying to get themselves unstranded on their own. Back then there was no cell phones, and you domt see many vehicles after 11 pm, so crossing overnight was very dangerous if you did not know what you were doing and or got yourself stranded. Since i lived up hartford ridge the only other way home was going through aurora and then up Hartford Pike, which was alot father.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
That was a dangerous crossing.
I have a suggestion for you: Royalton. We lived there about 12 years ago. Our rental house was either on the site of or was the actual structure of the original Post Office. I'd heard that when the railroad established itself in Zionsville, Royalton faded. I'd also heard that the town was an epicenter of moonshining or some such, with folks saying they had a Royal Ton of booze for sale. Interesting place that as far as I know, is still on the map.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
What state are you talking about and do you have a GPS Coordinate for Royalton?
@kennlove4014
11 ай бұрын
The state of Indiana...sorry about that! It is in Eagle Township just inside Boone County and just outside Marion County, so it is northwest of Indianapolis and five miles from Zionsville. Interesting location by the interstate that few folks know about.
I have totally been here ! I have great pics of this place ! So cool!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
10 ай бұрын
It is a neat place.
Very interesting video, loved the then and now photos
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
yeah they turned out pretty good.
This is really cool
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Glad you like it!
6:47 ~ I live in northern Indiana and see homes like this every so often and wonder what the heck happened. Barns out in countrysides are commonly found like this aside a freshly built one so that makes sense. In 2019 I went _alll the way up_ to Mackinaw City for short vacation. After getting bored enough from the Island, the folks and I went further north just to see what's up, then made a side trip to Sheboygan where houses like this were the norm. Rotted, weather beaten wood structures with barely any paint on them. Actual "house" sections were leaning to one side and the porches were leaning to another. Certainly is something but considering the weather that far north I wouldn't blame the occupants from abandoning the area. It was June and snowing. We all have to draw a line somewhere. The occasional 'ghost town' makes me want to explore and photograph just like you but unfortunately they're hundreds of miles apart. My exposure happened to come from childhood fact books, the first happened to be Hannah House down in Indianapolis which supposedly housed refugees but caught fire from a lantern. Maybe one day we can all afford ample time to explore as you do. :)
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
You have to wonder what happened.
My dad pastored in that church building (Trinity Baptist Church) sometime between the 2005-2008 era. The bank wouldn't approve for them to purchase the building because the property was too small for a septic system. There was an outhouse behind the building. The interior of that building was extremely well preserved at that time. The curved pews were really well built. The way the pulpit/stage area was built was to be able to project sound. Definitely a piece of history.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
It was a beautiful building but I'm not sure if it can be saved at this point.
@dm1123751
5 ай бұрын
@@historyinyourownbackyard2363 I hate that but it at least we have memories. My dad sure loved ringing that bell before service
Satoli, I believe you may have upped your video output greatly with this series. Very enjoyable. Didn't Even have many bridges in it!!!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Thanks!!!! But I did feature one bridge in the video. :)
Great job Satolli 🧢 🇺🇸
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Thanks John!
Please consider covering Zenas, Indiana in Jennings County. It used to have a school, post office, general store and a telephone directory but now only has a church. But the church is quite old and still very active.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
I'm not far from Jennings County. I'll try to get out there in a week or two. Thanks!
One of your best. Even without Suzy.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Thanks! Glad you like the video.
SE Indiana use to be full of small towns and have only gotten smaller over time. I miss the old days !
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
4 ай бұрын
So do i...
@kskssxoxskskss2189
3 ай бұрын
Was this related to the decline of canals and then railroads, or farms?
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
3 ай бұрын
@@kskssxoxskskss2189 Neither. I think it was because of the automobile. People became more mobile and it was easier to drive into the larger towns to buy food and household items.
I ride my bike and drive on HWY 8 in north Kentucky along the Ohio river between Hebron and Covington and there are several foundations and retaining walls of what I can only imagine were once houses. Would love to lnow what used to be there.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
The best way to do that is to visit with the Boone County Historical Society. They should be able to provide info on all of those sites.
@tammyjantzen9004
10 ай бұрын
Loved that drive when I worked there for a couple of years! I found interesting history the locals weren't even aware of. What great memories I have of Hwy 8 along the Ohio river!
I grew up right up the road on Hartford ridge. Beautiful place. The lodge building that is still standing is the home of the free and accepted mason’s lodge. It was housed in the top floor of that building.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Now was that also the I.O.O.F. Lodge???
I grew up in Rising Sun and remember stopping at Bennett's general store to get sandwiches. I have driven across Hartford ford may time with and without water. The minister at Rising Sun Methodist church finished his sermon in Rising Sun and then drove the 5 miles to Hartford for the service there. There are so many more stories that can be told about the small communities of southeastern Indiana.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
I agree 100%. The larger towns get all of the attention but I plan to focus on these smaller rural villages.
@aprilbower136
11 ай бұрын
There is also a Hartford city Indiana. Which when when you when you first started, I thought you were talking about it. I'm originally from Indiana and of coarse I didn't know about this 2nd Hartford. Hartford city is in Blackford County.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Yes, I'm familiar with Hartford City. It's nowhere close to being a ghost town. :) @@aprilbower136
@aprilbower136
11 ай бұрын
I feel like Dunkirk Indiana is. Which is where I'm from and is close to Hartford city Indiana. Yes there are a few businesses there but nothing like it use to be. I can't even go back there anymore. 😪 breaks my heart that town use to be such a thriving town with 2 glass factories. Now just one. Town was always busy. Homes are so run down. Sad.
Veyvey Indiana. Mom grew up there and always told us kids about life there. She's buried there. I would like to understand why she loved that community.
The church had services going on later than the 1990's.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Do you know when they last held services?
👍👍
Satolli, another awesome video, thank you very much. A potential project would be the 50th anniversary of the tornado that struck. Sayler Park in Western Cincinnati, Ohio????
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
That's coming up next April. I remember that day as well as you do. Let me check with some people I know in Sayler Park. Thanks!
@jackwalsh1468
11 ай бұрын
You're very welcome. @@historyinyourownbackyard2363
I'd love to see you explore Centralia, Pennsylvania if you haven't already!
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
I have not. Let me look into it. Thanks!
Russellville,IN.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
10 күн бұрын
Good idea!
My wife bought stuff at a woman who had a drapery shop there. I worked with a guy who lived there.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Cool!!!
What is the music on your shows?
How far is this from royal center Indiana . How do you decide the level of a ghost town or haunting ?
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
It's about 4 hours from Royal Center. The 4 different levels for a ghost town are described in the video.
Carlos Indiana in southern Randolph county would be an example ... Just homes and a church left.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
I just looked it up! I'll try to get up there this Fall. Thanks!
Im 99.9 peece t sure that a freind of mine from high school grew up in the former hotel there
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
When was that???
You should check out Evensport ohio and Florida Ohio
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Thanks for the tip! I'll check them out.
Hey my girlfriend grew up in Hartford City and we can't see that Hartford City is anything like Hartford ghost town can somebody explain that to us
Who maintains this classification system? National Trust? Rand McNally?
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
3 ай бұрын
What classification system?
I didn't see anyone put in a correction, sorry if I missed it, but the town is actually Hartford City, not just Hartford.
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
11 ай бұрын
Actually this is the town of Hartford with a population of only about 25 people. Hartford City is about 150 miles north of Hartford.
Globalization has been so good for us.
Igo threw Hartford everyday pass50yrs
@historyinyourownbackyard2363
5 ай бұрын
Good deal.
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