The Barter Theatre in Abingdon and the Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg stand out among the state’s most haunted venues, each with its own unique stories and spectral sightings.
The Barter Theatre in Abingdon, known as the State Theatre of Virginia, harbors more than just cultural riches. Established during the Great Depression, it became a place where people could barter goods for entertainment. The theater is believed to be haunted by several ghosts, including its founder, Robert Porterfield, seen observing performances from the audience. Additionally, a malevolent entity reportedly chases actors from their dressing rooms, and the ghost of a Confederate soldier is said to show his wound to those he encounters, with a dire prophecy attached.
The Lyric Theatre in Blacksburg, with its roots stretching back to 1909, is another venue where the paranormal seems to play a starring role. Today, it hosts a mix of cinema, live theater, and music acts, but it’s the unseen performances that often capture the imagination. Reports include phantom footsteps, disembodied muttering, and cold spots. A construction worker who tragically died during the theater’s construction is thought to be one of the spirits, alongside a female entity trapped within, her pleas to be let out echoing through the auditorium.