No photograph
on file
Est. 1973
Theater / Performance Venue

Hartung Theatre (University of Idaho)

A 1973 university theater with a long-running construction-worker ghost story

625 Stadium Dr, Moscow, ID 83844

Wheelchair Accessible Research-Backed · 3 sources

Research updated June 2026

Age

All Ages

Cost

$$

Ticket prices vary by production. Tickets for University of Idaho Theatre Arts shows are sold through uitickets.com. The lobby and exterior can be viewed for free when no event is running.

Access

Wheelchair OK

Paved campus walkways; accessible entrances and wheelchair seating available

Equipment

No Photos

Disembodied voicesEquipment malfunctionMissing or moved propsDoors opening on their ownFootsteps

The Hartung's resident story dates the haunting to the building's construction around 1973. As the legend is told, a construction worker had a heart attack while checking the steel girders above the Green Room and fell to his death. The University of Idaho Library, which published an account of campus hauntings in 2021, notes plainly that no evidence supports the legend and that no death record has been located to confirm it.

What the library does record is a consistent set of reports from the people who use the building. Over the years, students, staff, and faculty have described unexplained voices in empty parts of the theater, lighting and sound equipment that malfunctions without cause, props that go missing and turn up elsewhere, and doors that open on their own. The Odyssey Online, in a roundup of haunted places near Moscow, repeats the same construction-worker account and the reports of footsteps, screams, and self-opening doors.

The reputation is the kind that attaches easily to old theaters, where call boards, fly lofts, and dark backstage corridors invite stories. The Hartung does not market itself as a paranormal site, and the only way to enter is to attend a scheduled production.

Notable Entities

The construction worker (unnamed)

Plan Your Visit

1 way to experience
Guided Tour Booking Required

Attend a Theatre Arts Production

The Hartung is the University of Idaho Theatre Arts department's 417-seat mainstage. The only public access is to attend a scheduled performance, ticketed through uitickets.com. There is no paranormal tour or after-dark investigation offered at the venue.

Duration:
2.5 hr
Book this experience

Sources & Further Reading

Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.

  1. 1.harvester.lib.uidaho.edu/posts/2021/10/15/u-of-i-hauntings.html
  2. 2.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/campus/buildings/hartungtheater.html
  3. 3.uidaho.edu/class/theatre/facilities

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hartung Theatre (University of Idaho) family-friendly?
A working university theater. Content depends on the production; the ghost story itself is mild and non-graphic. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Hartung Theatre (University of Idaho)?
Ticket prices vary by production. Tickets for University of Idaho Theatre Arts shows are sold through uitickets.com. The lobby and exterior can be viewed for free when no event is running.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Hartung Theatre (University of Idaho) wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Hartung Theatre (University of Idaho) is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Paved campus walkways; accessible entrances and wheelchair seating available.