Abbeville is a quiet little city approximately 90 minutes west of Columbia. The city’s motto is “Pretty. Near. Perfect.” and we surely agree! The town has just over 5,000 people and at least one resident ghost – who resides in the Abbeville Opera House.

It's not unusual in the theater world for performers to "stick around" in one of their favorite performance venues, and the folks in Abbeville are more than willing to share in a standing ovation for the evening's show with the lingering spirit of a young actress.
Google Maps/Michael Miller
The Abbeville Opera House opened in 1908 and was the talk of the Upstate, where at the time, few theaters of its kind existed. It remained open until 1960, and then was reopened by a local theater group again in 1968. Today, the theater is open year-round with a variety of wonderful performances.
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And the locals are more than willing to give up a prime balcony seat to the ghost of the young actress.
Google Maps/Manuela Woodard

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Legend has is that in 1914, a young actress was to appear in a performance of Ben Hur at the Abbeville Opera House. But she fell ill and instead took a seat on the second floor balcony. After the show, she died at a nearby Inn.
Google Maps/Southard Young
From that point forward, her seat has remained empty.... except for her ghost. Performers have often reported looking up from the stage and seeing the ghost of the young actress, dressed in period clothing, seated in the empty seat.
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For more than 100 years, the ghost has been attending shows at the Abbeville Opera House. Have you seen her, or felt her presence? We'd love to know!
Google Maps/Dennis Castellano

The Abbeville Opera House is located at 100 Court Square, Abbeville, SC 29620. Performances take place year-round. For more information and to see upcoming events or purchase tickets, visit their official website!

Ghostly encounters are a fairly common occurrence in South Carolina. For more on the subject, keep reading about the ghost of the Dock Street Theater in Charleston, and find out 13 of the best places in the Palmetto State to spot a ghost.

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