Most People Don’t Know The Haunted History Behind This Beloved South Carolina Theater
South Carolina’s haunted past is evident in so many places that many have come to believe hauntings in the Palmetto State are almost a way of life. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there’s no denying some of the past occurrences here that could plausibly leave a forever “footprint” of previous lives. The location of the oldest performance theater in the U.S. is no different.
But what you don't know is the first theater on this location opened in 1736. It burned and then a hotel called "Planters Hotel" was built on her soil. Planters Hotel was popular not only with the rich visitors to Charleston but also with the locals.
As the story goes, it was in the 1800s at the Planters Hotel where the first of two storied ghosts that still haunt the property spent her time. There are no writings to suggest her name, but some refer to her as Nettie and she was a lady of the evening - if you catch the drift.
Life's twists and turns for Nettie soon went horribly sideways and legend has in despair she purposely leaned over the balcony above the main entrance shown here and fell to her death, essentially committing suicide at what would become the present day Dock Street Theater.
Not long after the Civil War the hotel's popularity fell and it closed. It remained closed and suffered major additional damage during the Charleston 1886 earthquake. But in 1936 it was turned into a theater, thus completing the "circle of life" for the property that was first used as a theater in the 1700s. In 2010, it was closed for three years of renovations, opening again in 2013.
Today, the Dock Street is haunted not only by the ghost of that prostitute from the Planters Hotel, but also by a very prominent actor from the 19th Century who worked and frequented the hotel. He was one of the most revered actors of his day.
And he was also the father of John Wilkes Booth. Yes, THAT John Wilkes Booth. What's more, Junius Booth didn't die here in Charleston - but his spirit is one of the two that routinely haunt the Dock Street Theater. No one knows why he's here instead of where his actual death occurred which was on a steamboat in Louisville in 1852.
Both ghosts are routinely seen making appearances at the Dock Street Theater in Charleston. In addition to being open for the many performances held at this historic theater, the theater is also open for self-guided tours during the day. And if you really want a great chance to see a ghost, you can book yourself on a nighttime "ghost" tour and try to spot them yourself. Visitors to the Dock Street have reported seeing them, in full apparition, so don't be surprised if you do too. They also report unexplained cold spots.
Have you been to the Dock Street Theater? We’d love to know if you’ve experienced unusual cold spots, felt ill at certain times, or even seen the ghosts of the prostitute or of Julius Wilkes. Let us know in the comments.
Robin Jarvis is a travel writer and editor for OnlyInYourState.com with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. She's lived in the Carolinas for nearly three decades and currently resides in Charleston. When she's not working, she loves to cook with friends and check out new adventures. General questions and FAM tours: rjarvis@onlyinyourstate.com.
