Barter Theatre

Abingdon, VA · Theaters

Built in 1831 as Sinking Springs Presbyterian Church, the building has also been used as a town hall and a fire hall, which meant that even when it became Barter Theatre, the fire alarm remained on the building, and when the sirens went off during a performance, the actors had to freeze and hold their positions until the alarm finished. The theater is believed to be haunted by two ghosts from its past. One is founder Robert Porterfield, whose apparition has been seen in the audience; the other is a malevolent entity known to chase actors out of their dressing rooms. Another legend here is that of a phantom Confederate soldier. So the tale goes, those to whom he shows his wound will die within 48 hours.

Geographic Information

Address
127 W Main St
Abingdon, VA 24210
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GPS
36.7107626, -81.9751269
County
Washington County County, Virginia
Nearest Towns

Contact Information

Website

Quick Answers

Is Barter Theatre really haunted?
Visitors rate Barter Theatre at 64 out of 100 on our EHP (Estimated Haunted Probability) scale. So far 2 people have shared firsthand experiences from this location in the comments.
Where is Barter Theatre located?
The address is 127 W Main St, Abingdon, VA 24210. GPS coordinates: 36.7107626, -81.9751269.
What kind of haunted place is Barter Theatre?
Barter Theatre is listed under Theaters in our Virginia section.
What is the nearest town to Barter Theatre?
Abingdon, VA is the closest town, about 0.1 miles away, with Emory (8.8 mi.) and Damascus (11.9 mi.) also nearby.

Please note: It is your responsibility to acquire appropriate permissions before investigating any location listed on this site. Private property should be respected at all times, as should all posted signs concerning trespassing, hours of operation and other regulations.

Share Your Experiences

Comments (2)

  • Krystyn Salyers |

    My mom used to work cleaning the Barter before they opened for he day. My mom was downstairs cleaning the dressing rooms and I was upstairs and had just finished cleaning the bathrooms. I went into the main stage doors and was making sure there wasn't any trash on the floors or gum on the seats and I saw an elderly man that you could see through sitting in one of the chairs, I spoke to him and he just got up and almost floated up to the stage and disappeared. I never went back to work with my mom.

  • Nancy |

    The other day I was visiting the Barter Theater in downtown beautiful Abingdon, Virginia. Typically, I would not believe in any of this unholy nonsense, as I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ himself. But what I experienced recently has haunted me to the bones. I was walking my small fluffy golden retriever down the street when I passed by the theater. I was immediately drawn to the strange feeling coming from inside. I had a terrible feeling of impending doom when I walked near those doors. My sweet little puppy, Doodles, started violently sniffing near the door. I followed her and I decided to casually let myself in, since no one was watching the entrance, which should be a crime in this large town. What I saw inside will never leave my brain. I walked deeper inside following my sweet Doodles and she started barking super aggressively at the stage itself. This is so unlike my super sweet and loving puppy-child, Doodles. Upon a closer view, I could not see anything on the stage. I turned around and saw at the red-velvet seats, a rather vintage and dapper looking kind sir. At first, I thought it was one of the homeless men of Abingdon, but he was too well-groomed to be any of that kind. I calmly asked if he knew the Barter Theater was closed for the day, and he did not even reply. He just started at me with these empty, cold, dead, chilling eyes. I almost SCREAMED! My dog started violently barking and wagging his tail at this man, but I thought it might have been due to his stench. I walked closer to him and he started floating through the seats!!! I IMMEDIATELY got our my phone and opened the bible app. I started repenting my sins and I tried to exorcise this unholiness out of this spirit. He deserves to leave this world and go to heaven with our savior, Jesus Christ. However, this did not seem to work, I turned around to leave this unholy place when I saw a Confederate looking soldier standing on the stage. I thought I must have walked in on a rehearsal until the soldier pulled up his ragged shirt and revealed a bloody, gash in his lower torso. I sprinted out of the building IMMEDIATELY and started praying to the Lord. I was so scared I asked the Lord to come get me and take me to the place I belong, Heaven. I opened my bible app and saw an add for this website, I think that was a sign from Jesus Christ himself! I am still shaken from this experience and I will NEVER return. This has shaken me to the core. I hope I do not disappear in 48 hours, but if I do, just know that I am where I belong, with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If I do not reply within 48 hours, at least someone will know why... NEVER visit the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia after hours unless you want to disappear for good.

Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the truest sense, ghost stories. Haunted Places makes no claims that any of these stories are factually accurate or scientifically provable.