Posted in Arkansas Creepy, Haunted February 03, 2023 by

The Haunted Opera House In Arkansas Both History Buffs And Ghost Hunters Will Love

If you’re a ghost hunter who loves historical places, then this one’s for you. Let’s take a walk back in time to the late 19th century to a gorgeous Victorian-style opera house. But this isn’t just any opera house with grandiose musical performances, this opera house is haunted and has a very dark tale to tell.

The gorgeous town of Van Buren is filled with many historical buildings. A lot of which date back to the 19th century.
Brian Pritchard/Google
But there is one building with a haunting tale to tell, and that is the historic King Opera House.
Located at 427 Main Street, in the heart of Van Buren, Arkansas, is King Opera House. And it's a beautiful performance auditorium that once welcomed prominent folks from Arkansas.
Tom Check (flickr user: tombothetominator), CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Built in the late 19th century, this 325-seat Victorian-style building has been restored multiple times into the gorgeous venue that it is today.
Additionally, in 1976, the opera house was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of Van Buren's National Historic District.
City of Van Buren - City Hall/Facebook
Currently, this historic landmark is an event venue for performances, meetings, lectures, as well as group gatherings.
On the surface, the opera house looks normal, but legend has it that this venue is haunted by the phantom of a broken-hearted ghost.
Haunted Rooms America/Facebook
Rumor has it that a young actor named Charles Tolson, the phantom of the King Opera House, was smitten by Allye, the 17-year-old daughter of a prominent resident Dr. Parchman.
According to the tale, Tolson desired to marry her, and the “lovebirds” wanted to elope. However, when the doctor discovered the grandiose plan, he took matters into his own hands.
Nikita/Google
It is said that the doctor shot the actor at the train depot to prevent him from eloping with his daughter. And after he died, the ghost of this young actor tethered itself to the opera house, and still roams the halls of the auditorium.
This story, as tragic as it sounds, is apparently a fabricated tale of what really happened.
James Woods/Google
Parchman did shoot Charles Tolson at the train depot, who ended up dying from his injuries in a nearby Fort Smith hospital.
But Tolson denied having anything to do with Parchman’s daughter. In fact, Allye wasn’t at the station the morning of the shooting.
SupernovaEyes/TripAdvisor
Furthermore, Tolson was happily married and had no intentions of leaving his wife. It’s said the false story was fed to Parchman by a suitor who had his eyes on Allye.
Either way, Tolson’s ghost is a true phantom of the opera. And is said to haunt the halls of the Victorian-style structure.
Haunted Rooms America/Facebook
And if you’d like a chance to witness this phantom ghost, you can book or attend an event at the haunted venue.

So, what do you think of the story of this haunted opera house? Do you believe this tale is true or have you heard the other version? Let us know in the comments below.

And here’s an excursion in Van Buren that’s worthy of your bucket list.

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Address: King Opera House, 427 Main St, Van Buren, AR 72956, USA