This Hauntingly Beautiful Abandoned Opera House Will Give You the Chills

There are many gorgeous buildings in the United States. Most are full of life and people, however some sit abandoned and unused.  The Sterling Opera House falls into the latter category. The building hasn’t featured any type of performance since 1945, but people still flock to  it due to its haunted reputation.

The Sterling Opera House opened on April 2, 1889. The beautiful theater was designed by the same engineers responsible for Carnegie Hall in New York City. It resides in Derby, Connecticut and holds the distinction of being the first building in the state to be selected for the National Register of Historic Places.

Interestingly, while it became a center of entertainment, it was originally built as a city hall. After the building changed over to an entertainment venue, number of influential acts performed on the stage of the Sterling Opera House including Harry Houdini, Amelia Earhart, and Red Skelton. Sterling shut down after half an approximate half-century of operation.

The Opera House hides some sinister secrets. There was actually a prison, complete with cells in the basement. While it was mainly used for small-time offenders, famous serial killer Lydia Sherman was locked in a cell under the premises for a period.

The abandoned building has seen a large increase in interest in the last decade due to an appearance on episode Ghost Hunters. Due to the popularity, the building has become a tourist attraction for those interested in the paranormal.

Numerous individuals and groups have reported seeing and hearing strange things throughout the theater. Urban legends have also popped up, such as the claim that the spirit of the man who the theater was named after still resides there.