The following is a list of famous haunted theaters in New York. Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know which location you think is the creepiest! To view my full list of ghost stories and haunted locations in New York, Click Here. And if you liked this list, be sure to check out my new book, The Folklore & Haunted Locations Guide: New York, available on Amazon!!
And be sure to also check out this spooky YouTube Video I made to go along with this Blog: #1 - Clayton Opera House
Coordinates: 44.242700°, -76.086835°
Location Address: 403 Riverside Drive, Clayton, New York The Clayton Opera House in Clayton, New York was constructed during the early 1900's, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Employees at the historic opera house report witnessing apparitions and shadow figures, as well as hearing disembodied voices and footsteps. Although ghostly apparitions are encountered by many visitors, the reason for their presence is unknown. #2 - Lancaster Opera House
Coordinates: 42.901129°, -78.669983°
Location Address: 21 Central Avenue, Lancaster, New York Constructed in 1894 as a conjoined town hall and music hall, the Lancaster Opera House in Lancaster, New York is said to be haunted by the spirit of a man named William, who committed suicide, as well as the spirit of an unknown woman whose ghost is seen watching performances from a seat on the upper balcony. Both apparitions are described by guests as wearing 1920's-style clothing, and are often blamed for a variety of strange paranormal activity, such as cold spots, lights flickering, and objects moving by themselves. One group of employees even reported witnessing a television being thrown across the stage by an unseen entity, and those who work late at night report feeling a strange presence, as if being watched by someone or something. #3 - Landmark Theater
Coordinates: 43.047381°, -76.152440°
Location Address: 362 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, New York Opened in February of 1928 as Loew's State Theater, the Landmark Theater in Syracuse, New York is said to be haunted by the spirit of a woman named Clarissa, who was killed after falling from one of the theater's balconies. Her apparition is seen by employees and guests wearing a long white dress, and is often accompanied by the unexplained scent of lilac perfume. The Landmark Theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May of 1977. #4 - Lucille Ball Little Theater
Coordinates: 42.095553°, -79.240109°
Location Address: 18 E. 2nd Street, Jamestown, New York The Lucille Ball Little Theater in Jamestown, New York was founded in 1936. Guests report witnessing orbs and the apparitions of several unidentified men and women, as well as experiencing other paranormal activity, such as disembodied voices and unexplained cold spots. Unfortunately, very little additional information is currently available regarding this haunting. #5 - New Amsterdam Theater
Coordinates: 40.756186°, -73.987888°
Location Address: 214 W. 42nd Street, New York City, New York Constructed in 1903, the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City is said to be haunted by the spirit of a former chorus singer named Olive Thomas, who committed suicide on September 10, 1920 by drinking mercury. Her apparition is often seen by employees and audience members late at night and during performances, and many report experiencing strange paranormal activity, such as cold spots, and feeling the presence of an unseen entity. Others report experiencing unexplained feelings of sadness that subside upon leaving the location. #6 - Rochester Broadway Theatre League's Auditorium Theater
Coordinates: 43.160741°, -77.588659°
Location Address: 885 E. Main Street, Rochester, New York Constructed in 1928 as a Masonic Temple, the Rochester Broadway Theatre League's (RBTL) Auditorium Theater in Rochester, New York is said to be haunted by the spirit of an elderly man whose apparition is often seen by actors and actresses backstage, as well as the spirit of another man seen wearing a red coat. The Auditorium Theater is said to be one of the most haunted locations in Rochester, with actors who report hearing the sounds of disembodied voices and footsteps during rehearsals, witnessing objects being moved by an unseen entity, and experiencing feelings of being watched. #7 - Rochester Main Street Armory
Coordinates: 43.161928°, -77.588043°
Location Address: 900 E. Main Street, Rochester, New York The Rochester Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York was constructed in 1905 by the United States Army to train and process new soldiers. The facility remained open until 1990, and was later reopened as a venue hosting live music, sporting events, and other live performances. Guests attending concerts and other live events often report witnessing unidentified apparitions and shadow figures, as well as experiencing other paranormal phenomena, such as cold spots and objects moving by themselves. During it's years as a military facility, many fatal training accidents are said to have occurred at the Main Street Armory, which many claim is why the location is haunted. #8 - Rome Capitol Theater
Coordinates: 43.212232°, -75.460127°
Location Address: 220 W. Dominick Street, Rome, New York Employees at Rome Capitol Theater in Rome, New York report witnessing apparitions, as well as experiencing a variety of paranormal phenomena, such as doors opening and closing by themselves, disembodied voices, and the unexplained sounds of an organ being played late at night. Employees also report hearing the disembodied sounds of a performance being held when the building is otherwise empty. The Rome Capitol Theater originally opened in December of 1928 as a movie house. #9 - Roycroft Pavilion
Coordinates: 42.764396°, -78.616950°
Location Address: 480 Prospect Avenue, East Aurora, New York Built in 1903, the Roycroft Pavilion in East Aurora, New York is said to be haunted by the spirit of a middle-aged woman with dark hair, whose apparition is often seen during performances. Actors rehearsing at the pavilion late at night also report feeling an unexplained presence, as if being watched by an unseen entity. Although many guests and employees over the years have reported encountering the woman's ghost, the reason for her presence is unknown. #10 - Shea's Buffalo Theater
Coordinates: 42.891890°, -78.872676°
Location Address: 650 Main Street, Buffalo, New York Previously known as Shea's Performing Arts Center, Shea's Buffalo Theater in Buffalo, New York was opened in 1926. It is said to be haunted by the spirit of its original owner, Michael Shea, who passed away in 1934, and whose apparition is most often seen by guests and employees during performances. Workers performing renovations at the theater have reported being approached by a man matching Mr. Shea's description, who allegedly compliments their handiwork before vanishing into thin air. Guests also report experiencing a variety of other paranormal phenomena, such as unexplained cold spots, disembodied voices, lights flickering, and doors slamming. The theater also offers evening ghost hunting events and tours during the Halloween season. #11 - The Stanley Theater
Coordinates: 43.099083°, -75.235472°
Location Address: 259 Genesee Street, Utica, New York Visitors at the Stanley Theater in Utica, New York report witnessing apparitions and shadow figures, as well as smelling the unexplained scent of cigarette smoke. It's also said that during performances, employees leave one seat empty for the spirits who allegedly still attend performances. The Stanley Theater first opened in September of 1928, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August, 1976. #12 - Town Ballroom
Coordinates: 42.892387°, -78.871615°
Location Address: 681 Main Street, Buffalo, New York The Town Ballroom in Buffalo, New York was constructed during the 1940's as The Town Casino, where guests report witnessing apparitions and shadow figures, especially in the basement area which was allegedly used as a speakeasy during the American alcohol prohibition. One group of workers was allegedly working in the basement when they reported the lights repeatedly being turned off by an unseen entity, and other employees often report feeling as if being watched or followed when entering the basement. Former owners of the Town Ballroom also report capturing videos of strange flashing lights on security cameras late at night, as well as motion detectors going off without reason.
For additional information, or to see my complete list of folklore tales and haunted locations in New York, Click Here. And if you liked this list, be sure to check out my new book, The Folklore & Haunted Locations Guide: New York, available on Amazon!!
Thanks for reading!! If you liked this post, be sure to leave a comment below, and be sure to check out more of my creepy videos and other content here and on YouTube!! Coming soon to your town...
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On September 4th, 2020, I was given the amazing opportunity to attend an overnight paranormal investigation at the infamously haunted Wilson Castle in my neighboring state of Vermont. So I wanted to take some time to write a blog about my experiences there, and also wanted to say a huge thank you to Matt from Paranormal Buzz Radio (as well as the rest of the crew at AJ's Paranormal, DTM Photography, Paranormal After Life Investigations, Protectworth Mysterial Research, SIS Paranormal, and Spirit Trackers) for inviting me along!!! The History
Thank you Matt from Paranormal Buzz Radio and Shea from SIS Paranormal for taking these awesome pictures and allowing me to use them for this blog!!
Wilson Castle in Proctor, Vermont was built in the mid-1800's by a wealthy physician named John Johnson, and his wife, Sarah. Construction of the house and its surrounding eighteen stables, carriage houses, farms, and other outbuildings took almost eight years and cost over $1.3 million (over $33 million in today's currency). The castle itself consists of thirty-three rooms, including an art gallery, servant's quarters, music room, pool room, and parlor, all of which are filled with a number of historic artifacts that are either original to the home, or were acquired by those who resided within its walls over the course of its macabre and fascinating history.
The Johnson family lived in the castle for just under a decade until 1874 when Sarah Johnson moved back to England, though some stories claim she died mysteriously, and John Johnson moved away shortly after due to being unable to afford the costs of living in the castle. Details about Sarah Johnson's disappearance as well as the disappearance of John Johnson are both shrouded in mystery and conflicting stories, leading to many urban legends about their deaths and disappearances, as well as rumors of the castle allegedly being haunted. Throughout the course of our investigation, we may have received some clues from the spirits residing at the castle as to what became of Sarah and John Johnson.
Arriving At the Castle
I arrived at Wilson Castle with my girlfriend a few minutes earlier than the rest of our group. We parked next to a car which belonged to a young man and woman who had just taken the tour. I was already getting excited, so I asked them how it was. The couple told us they hadn't experienced any paranormal activity while inside the castle, but said it was creepy. As a first-time investigator and major skeptic I expected this to set the tone for the rest of the evening... however, there were some occurrences that happened later in the night that I was unable to debunk or find an obvious explanation for.
As we waited for the last few group members to arrive at the castle before beginning the official tour, our group began to make its way inside Wilson Castle one by one to do some exploring. Stepping through the doors to the castle was like stepping through a portal back in time, and one of the things I immediately noticed upon entering the main hallway was the large stained-glass window with the family's coat of arms emblazoned on it. To the left was the parlor room which our group would use as our main headquarters throughout the investigation, which ended up lasting until 8:00 a.m. the following morning. To the right lies a room which houses a number of relics and artifacts that were gifted to the Wilson family, including a chair from the Ming dynasty carved with ornate wooden dragons, and a tea set that was gifted to the family by Queen Mary of England.
Thank you Matt from Paranormal Buzz Radio for allowing me to use this awesome picture of the Parlor Room and chair for this blog!!
The next room we came to was the art gallery, which hosts a collection of artwork ranging from antique paintings, Greek statues, Chinese scrolls, and even paintings of the Wilson Castle itself commissioned by various artists in different artistic styles over a number of decades. The ceiling of the gallery also extends for three stories upward, which gives it a massive, cavernous feel. Then, two doors leading off the gallery soon led us to one of my favorite parts of the castle; the balcony, with its brick archways providing a breathtaking view of the fields and outbuildings below, and the vast ranges of The Green Mountains which lie just beyond them.
Thank you Matt from Paranormal Buzz Radio and Nicole from SIS Paranormal for taking these awesome pictures and allowing me to use them for this blog!!
After this we were all gathered together and given the official tour of the castle, which proved to be packed with interesting information about the building's history, as well as the artifacts inside. At this point we were all brought to the castle's second floor, where most of the family bedrooms are located, as well as a large pool room located in the center which connects all the rooms on that floor.
Several of the bedrooms on this floor have ghost stories associated with them, such as one room that I referred to as "The Green Room," where a woman in mourning is allegedly seen wearing a black dress. Common practice during the Victorian era was for a widow to wear a mourning dress for two years after the death of her husband, so it's possible the woman seen wearing the dress died shortly after losing her husband or the death of some other family member.
Another room on the second floor which is said to be haunted is known as "Sarah's Room," where Sarah Johnson once lived and died. This room is considered by many to be one of the castle's most haunted rooms, where visitors often report seeing the ghost of a woman believed to be Sarah Johnson reflected in a large mirror. Some visitors have even captured pictures of strange apparitions reflected in the mirror which weren't visible at the time the photographs were taken, and many of these photographs are on display in Sarah's Room. The servant's quarters were another interesting area where we ended up experiencing some paranormal phenomena later that night, though the area only consists of three small bedrooms and a washroom. Up until this point I hadn't really felt any spooky vibes from Wilson Castle, however, once we got to the third floor the building took on a much creepier and more menacing appearance. According to the guide who gave us the tour of the castle, the third floor was never finished before the Johnson family suddenly disappeared. For this reason much of the third floor is unlit, with broken windows and peeling drywall which lend magnificently to its haunted aesthetic. The third floor is also home to a number of unique and interesting artifacts, including the castle's collection of Halloween props, which scared the life out of me a few times later that night as I was wandering around upstairs in the pitch darkness with nothing but a flashlight.
One ghost story told to use that night is that the third floor is allegedly haunted by the spirit of a young child whose name, identity, and cause of death are unknown. During an EVP session later that night though, it seems we may have been able to speak to the young boy or girl, who may have revealed the disturbing cause of their death.
The Investigation
After sticking around for a few hours to answer our questions, the tour guides (all of whom are descendants of the Wilson family) left the castle at around 7:00 p.m., at which point we were given free reign over the building. Once it began getting dark we started setting up some of the equipment such as cameras, voice recorders, and other more specialized gear such as full spectrum cameras, trigger objects, REM pods, laser grids, etc. As I said before, this was my first true paranormal investigation, so getting to see some of this gear and learn how to use it myself was such a cool and interesting experience!!
Then the fun began, and almost right from the start we began to experience a variety of strange paranormal phenomena. Even if these experiences weren't supernatural in origin they were still very strange, and hard for me to dismiss. I won't lie, it felt like something you'd expect to see on a television show about ghost hunting, which I wasn't expecting at all.
As soon as we started setting up equipment in the room, my girlfriend and one of the other investigators began to notice some type of movement near the doorways, which I myself didn't see. We began asking questions and started receiving what seemed like potentially intelligent responses almost immediately. First we began asking the child for their name, or how old they were, and the response we got was a voice seeming to reply, "I'm too young." Too young for what? The next answer we received was both short and disturbing: "Rape." I immediately felt the energy in the room shift from excitement to discomfort as we began asking more questions... who raped you? What is your name? Do you know you're dead?
Check out this recording of the EVP, and let me know what you think it says in the comments below!! This has to be one of the clearest EVPs I've ever heard, and I was totally caught off guard when it happened!
Thank you Matt from Paranormal Buzz Radio and Donyell from DTM Photography for allowing me to use this amazing EVP recording for this blog!! Please also note that in order to share this clip, I had to upload it to Vimeo under my username, and I do not take credit for this video or recording.
This is when some of us think we may have captured some clues from the spirits living in the house as to what may have happened to John and Sarah Johnson, the castle's original owners. While asking if there was anyone in the room with us, we started to hear muffled voices coming through the speaker of the cellphone.
Very shortly after this, my girlfriend and one of the other investigators, Barbara, began to feel extremely dizzy and nauseous, and had to leave the room. As they left the room, I called out after them, "are you guys okay?" A voice on the speaker appeared to reply, saying "it's just us." I wondered if perhaps the spirits in the room with us had attempted to use our energy to manifest themselves, which could have caused our two group members to feel ill, or perhaps merely the presence of these spirits was enough. Jeff and myself decided to stay in the room and ask some questions to see if a spirit was indeed present with us. When asking why the spirit was stuck in the castle, we heard a voice appearing to say either "I lost Sarah," or "I love Sarah." We heard more voices coming through the speakers which appeared to say, "she doesn't love me." One voice came over the speaker saying, "I've killed," followed by the word "strangulation" or "suffocation," and then a frantic female voice which appeared to say, "he's too strong." Over the next several minutes the words that came from the equipment we were using were both disturbing and unexpected; a series of slurs and swearwords, most of which were derogatory slang terms used for women. We heard a man appearing to yell the words "bitch," and "slut," and several others that were even worse, which I won't bring myself to repeat here. But frankly, some of the language that came through during this session was very vulgar and unsettling. Despite all this though, I never felt unwelcome or scared in Wilson Castle, except at one point when I stepped into The Green Room by myself. Immediately upon entering the room I felt a heaviness, as if walking through an invisible barrier, or as if I was being repelled by an unseen force. I had intended to walk to the window on the far side of the room to look out and around, because I hadn't been in that particular room yet since the investigation began. It was as if all my intuition was suddenly telling me I should leave... so I immediately did. Time seemed to be flying by as our investigation commenced, and before I knew it, the sun had risen and it was time to head back home.
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AuthorBrian Weaver is the founder and creator of GhostQuest.net, one of the internet’s most comprehensive databases for haunted locations, urban legends, and folklore tales throughout the United States. He grew up in rural New England, where he attended college for Computer Science. Categories
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