Here's The Ultimate Terrifying Southern Virginia Road Trip And It'll Haunt Your Dreams
By Beth|Published February 19, 2016
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Beth
Author
A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Charlottesville. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.
As you may have seen earlier, we dedicated a post to some of northern Virginia’s spookiest sites. Because Virginia has so many of them, we have created another road trip for the southern portion of the state. Southern Virginia has old theaters, Civil War hospitals, and mansions that are sure to send chills down your spine. Get ready for take two of the ultimate terrifying road trip.
According to legend, the Martha Washington Hotel & Spa in Abingdon has been the home to ghosts since the Civil War, when it served as a hospital. Hospital staff have claimed that one particular nurse who played violin for passing soldiers continues to dwell in one of the rooms.
It stands to reason that a 170-year-old theatre might have a haunted tale or two to tell. One is the ghost of Robert Porterfield, who brought unemployed actors to the area from New York during the Great Depression. Legend has it that you can still spot Porterfield in the audience on occasion.
This museum in Dublin has been in operation since 1980 and was once two separate homes, the older dating back to 1812. Some have reported seeing the ghost of a young girl walking around the site or peering through the window.
The historic Lyric Theatre opened in Blacksburg in 1930. During its construction, one of the workers was tragically killed, causing some to believe his spirit still remains on site. There have been reports of footsteps on the stairway, chilling breezes, and a woman's voice calling "Let me out!"
The Patrick Henry started accommodating guests in 1925, and it appears as if some of those guests never left. You might notice three ghostly figures standing in the ballroom, or the apparition of a man smoking his pipe and keeping an eye on things.
Built in 1859, Danville's Sutherlin was considered a mansion even in its time. Sutherlin was part of the Confederacy and housed Jefferson Davis himself during the final week of the Civil War. The accounts of paranormal activity at this site include the smell of cigar smoke, random footsteps throughout the house, and a man's face peering through the window, even when the building is vacant.
In 1912, this was the site of a tragic courtroom shooting that killed five people, including the sheriff and presiding judge. Listen closely and you might still be able to hear the echoes of these gunshots.
In 7 1/2 hours of travel time, you’ll make the rounds to see 7 uniquely haunted spots in the southern Virginia and Blue Ridge highlands area. We can’t guarantee you’ll see anything…but if ever there was a chance of a paranormal encounter, it would happen at one of these sites. Plus, we think these sites are worth the drive for their historical value alone. Do you know of any other spots around here with a haunted tale? Be sure to leave us a comment!
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