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Citizens of the town of Hartsville established Hartsville College in 1847, and in 1850 they turned over control of the school to the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. This was one of the earliest coeducational institutions in the US.
After the Civil War, the campus was moved four blocks south to a large area now bounded by High, Washington, and East streets. Going still farther south on East Street brings one to the "College Cemetery" in which numerous pioneers of the faith and of the community repose (GPS: 39 15 45.03, -85 41 48.71).
United Brethren Bishop Milton Wright served on the faculty for a short time, and his sons, Wilbur and Orville, were students there.
After decades of distinguished service, the college lost its main building to fire in 1898, and thereafter the library and college bell were moved to Huntington where an “Old Constitution” UB college was founded, aided by Bishop Wright. It evolved into Huntington University.
Not to be outdone, in 1902 the New Constitution UB Church established its own "successor "to Hartsville College– Indiana Central University (now renamed the University of Indianapolis).
In 1927, the marker pictured here was placed on the original site at State Route 46 and Jackson Street (GPS: 39 16 05.20, -85 41 54.39) by students and teachers in appreciation of the College's "benign influence." Another marker in the southeast corner of the same block was erected by the Indiana Historical Bureau in 1995.
Also, the former UB church building, now the Hartsville United Methodist Church, stands on the southeast corner of Jackson and Clinton streets.
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