Hale Building - Martinsville, Indiana
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 39° 25.665 W 086° 25.724
16S E 549167 N 4364401
Historic commercial building in Martinsville, Indiana
Waymark Code: WM7BB0
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 09/30/2009
Views: 5
"Hale Building, 96 North Main Street, Commercial Vernacular, c.1860/1917.
The second story of this corner building is faced with Oriental brick manufactured by the Martinsville Brick Company and punctuated with limestone blocks. Two pair of one-over-one double hung sash windows look out over Main Street; narrow, louvered wood shutters flank each pair. The cornice is corbelled. The first floor of the front facade consists of a recessed double entrance at the north corner, display windows and corner posts covered with metal panels. The north first floor wall is brick on the second story and glass and metal panels on the first. An entrance near the north-south alley leads to a rear business room. Hanging over the sidewalk on the building’s corner is a large three-part advertising sign.
An 1875 photograph of this building depicts a two-story brick commercial structure possibly housing Stevens drygoods store. During the period 1900-1917, Jacob Hart operated Hart’s Bazaar, which sold “all sorts of fancy things”, at this location. Following Hart’s death, the building was acquired by J. C. Hale, partner in the Martinsville Brick Company, and completely remodeled with a new facade, fixtures, vault and heating system. Occupants at that time were Capitol Finance Company and Peck and Gene’s barber shop. In 1957, the building was sold to Indiana Bank and Trust Company. After the financial institution vacated the property, it was occupied by Habig’s clothing store into the early 1990s." - Historic District Nomination Form