Springer Opera House

Perhaps the most famously haunted theater in the South, this Columbus landmark has been in operation for 150 years. The ornate venue is now the State Theatre of Georgia and hosts year-round performances.

The Springer Opera House in Columbus is arguably the most haunted theater in the South and a National Historic Landmark. The oldest operating theater in Georgia, it opened in 1871 and has hosted some of America's greatest performers.

The most famous ghost is Edwin Booth, elder brother of John Wilkes Booth - President Lincoln's assassin. Edwin was a legendary actor, considered by many historians as the greatest American performer of the 19th century. After his brother's horrific crime in 1865, Edwin's career was shattered and the family retreated into seclusion.

A decade later, Edwin came to Columbus to perform "Hamlet" on the Springer's stage. His acclaimed performance was a crucial step in rebuilding his reputation. Legend says his ghost will haunt the opera house until Hamlet is performed there again. By most accounts, Edwin's spirit is playful, especially with female staff and guests. He frequents the prop room and has been seen as a tall man in a top hat walking through the building. One witness reported: "I turned to exit and saw the outline of a man in a top hat running towards me."

Other paranormal reports fill the theater's upper floors and attic. Doors slam on their own. Cold spots appear without explanation. Items fall off desks in administrative offices. A small girl's ghost appears throughout the opera house, sometimes sorting buttons in a playful manner. Another ghostly figure stands on the stage at various times - believed to be a different spirit than Edwin Booth.

Tour guide Diane Herpel reports that doors to the third-floor balconies open by themselves, costumes go missing, and lights flicker inexplicably. The theater offers historic tours during the day and late-night ghost tours for those brave enough to encounter Edwin and his spectral companions.