Springer Opera House, Columbus, GA, Ghid vizitatori și ce de văzut în apropiere

The Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia, is a 19th-century theatre that opened in 1871 and still stages live productions today. It is the State Theatre of Georgia and a National Historic Landmark, and it is as well known for its ghost stories as for the famous performers who once took its stage.

The story behind it

The theatre was opened on 21 February 1871 by Francis Joseph Springer, a grocer from Alsace who became a Columbus businessman. Over the years its stage drew some of the biggest names of the era, including Edwin Booth, Oscar Wilde and John Philip Sousa. Booth, the celebrated Shakespearean actor and brother of Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth, is remembered here for playing Hamlet.

The theatre fell silent around 1958 and came close to demolition before local citizens rallied to save it. It reopened in 1965, and its old stories returned with it. Local legend says Booth's ghost remains in the building, and staff and tour guides have told of balcony doors opening on their own, costumes going missing and lights flickering. These are stories, not proven facts, but they are part of why the place has such a following.

What to look for

• Take in the street front of the building as a whole, a Victorian theatre that is still a working venue rather than a museum piece.
• Check the posters and signs near the entrance to see what is currently on stage, a reminder that the building is still in use.
• Look up at the upper floors and imagine the third-floor balcony, where the ghost stories place doors that open by themselves.
• Notice how the theatre sits among the surrounding downtown blocks of 10th Street, and how much of the older streetscape is still around it.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 30 minutes if you are viewing the outside, longer if you combine it with a stroll through the nearby downtown streets.
• To see inside, check the theatre's current schedule for performances and tours, since access depends on what is happening that day.
• Evening light suits the building's story, but daylight is better for photographing the exterior details.
• The theatre is at 91 E 10th St, so it is easy to pair with other downtown stops on foot.

See it on a quest

Ghost Hunt in Columbus, GA suits this stop well, because the Springer's best-known legends are its ghosts. You walk to the theatre as one stop on a longer route through the area, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Columbus, GA is a different way to see the same streets, with a mystery theme running through the walk. You reach the places on foot, hear about each as you get there, and work out a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like.