Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com


The Hartland Music Hall has been home to many performances over its long life, but some say that’s not all it is home to.

Started as the Hartland First Congregational Church in 1858, the building that became the Music Hall was purchased by John Robert Crouse Sr. in 1929 for $500.

The building had been vacant since 1923, when the congregation disbanded. Crouse invested in renovations and additions, including adding the column porticoes in the front and digging a foundation that allowed for extra rooms.

The Hartland Music Hall officially opened its doors in 1932.

Crouse died on July 18, 1946. His body was taken to the Music Hall for his memorial service before being walked down the road to the cemetery.

I was able to tour the Music Hall recently, and I gathered stories and photos of the location.

Carolyn McCollough and Liz Welch, who both work for the Cromaine District Library, have stories of cold spots and weird sounds that happen in the building. They also said a picture of Crouse, which sits at the back of the auditorium, follows visitors with its eyes.

Don Thompson, who has been the caretaker of the building for decades, debunked some of the stories. He did say during a performance he was in of Agatha Christie’s "Mousetrap," a clock began to chime, despite not having any internal mechanisms.

Thompson has devoted much of his life to maintaining the Music Hall. He has ensured that many people are able to enjoy it every year.

To hear the stories McCollough, Welch and Thompson told me, head over to our podcast page at www.whmi.com/programming/podcasts.

(photo credit: Amanda Forrester)