You Might See More Than Actors At This Haunted Utah Theater
By Catherine Armstrong|Published October 18, 2018
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
Salt Lake’s historic Capitol Theatre is said to have its own ghost. If you visit, you might see more than actors here.
Capitol Theatre opened its doors on August 2, 1913. Over the years, it's served as a vaudeville theater, a theater for silent films, and a few years later, "talkies."
But if you visit the theatre, you might run into more than actors, opera singers, or ballerinas. The theatre is said to be haunted by at least one ghost.
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In July, 1949, a terrible fire swept through the theatre during a matinee performance.
Around 600 people were evacuated safely, but one of the ushers, 17-year-old Richard Duffin, who was helping patrons get out of the building, died in the basement from smoke inhalation. Some think that his ghost still haunts the theatre today.
They secure an area and turn off the lights, only to find the lights blazing and doors unlocked later. They report hearing voices, footsteps, and slamming doors.
Some of the theatre's equipment seems to bear out the theory of the ghostly haunting.
One night, an infrared surveillance monitor picked up activity in one of the theatre's seats. It appeared that someone was sitting there. As the security guard watched it on screen, it suddenly streaked across the theatre and disappeared.
Visitors and employees have also witnessed strange things in other parts of the theatre.
Several employees have noted that the elevator seems to have a mind of its own. It shows up on different floors without being called, and will sometimes take patrons to the basement without any buttons being pressed. Speaking of the basement, those who venture down there often smell smoke, and an overwhelming feeling of anger.
Have you ever seen anything strange at Capitol Theater? Tell us about it in the comments!
Did you know that Capitol Theater isn’t the only Utah theater that’s supposedly haunted? People have seen some strange things at this theater up in Logan, too!
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