Enosburg Opera House

By Thomas D’Agostino

This story comes from our book “Haunted Vermont.” Arlene and I want to let all the wonderful people in Northern Vermont to know we are still thinking about them.

Just seven miles from the Canadian border, Enosburg Falls is no doubt a Northern New England town. Named after General Roger Enos, this small village is typical of the wondrous charming hamlets seen throughout the region. It also boasts another aspect that makes New England so special, ghosts. One such place is the Enosburg Opera House. Dr. B.J. Kendall built the opera house in 1892 at the cost of ten thousand dollars. It featured both local and traveling entertainment until the 1950s. It also doubled as a place for town meetings and large school events.

Soon, a school gymnasium was erected. This, along with outdoor tourist activities and the advent of the television, left the opera house empty and decaying. It began to deteriorate quickly until a group called the Enosburg Opera House Association came to the rescue and gave the building a face-lift and new purpose. In 1993, full restoration was under way thanks to the help of the Vermont Historic Preservation Trust and architect Roland Batten. They all formed what is now called, Friends of the Opera House. The opera house once again glimmers with stage lights and hosts a wide variety of venues that are sure to please everyone. It also seems to host a spirit or two.

A man named Henry (sometimes called Willy) fell while working in the attic. He broke his leg and was unable to drag himself to any kind of aid. No one came around for days to check on the building so he was stranded up there where he eventually died from his injuries. Henry’s ghost seems to keep well hidden from the eyes of the living, although he does have a way of making his presence known in many mischievous ways.

Henry enjoys moving props and stealing playbooks. Even the renovations of the opera house failed to jostle Henry from his eternal feistiness. Both patrons and staff alike hear phantom footsteps in the otherwise empty attic on a regular basis. Jon Scott was Executive Director of the non-profit society that runs the opera house. He has heard Henry puttering around on many occasions when he was certain that there was no one else in the building other than himself.

Henry does not roam the entire building, however. He keeps his haunts confined to the second floor stage, hall, and attic. Perhaps the hustle and bustle of the ground floor, where the entrance and ticket booths are located, can become a bit too much for the shy ghost. He does keep rather quiet during performances suggesting that he might be a bit of a connoisseur of the performing arts. His spirit is not malevolent by any means, just in want to be noticed: maybe even in want to land a part in one of the plays. Whatever the case may be, it is probably safe to say that the term, “break a leg” is not used very often at the Enosburg Opera House.

Enosburg Opera House

By Thomas D’Agostino

This story comes from our book “Haunted Vermont.” Arlene and I want to let all the wonderful people in Northern Vermont to know we are still thinking about them.

Just seven miles from the Canadian border, Enosburg Falls is no doubt a Northern New England town. Named after General Roger Enos, this small village is typical of the wondrous charming hamlets seen throughout the region. It also boasts another aspect that makes New England so special, ghosts. One such place is the Enosburg Opera House. Dr. B.J. Kendall built the opera house in 1892 at the cost of ten thousand dollars. It featured both local and traveling entertainment until the 1950s. It also doubled as a place for town meetings and large school events.

Soon, a school gymnasium was erected. This, along with outdoor tourist activities and the advent of the television, left the opera house empty and decaying. It began to deteriorate quickly until a group called the Enosburg Opera House Association came to the rescue and gave the building a face-lift and new purpose. In 1993, full restoration was under way thanks to the help of the Vermont Historic Preservation Trust and architect Roland Batten. They all formed what is now called, Friends of the Opera House. The opera house once again glimmers with stage lights and hosts a wide variety of venues that are sure to please everyone. It also seems to host a spirit or two.

A man named Henry (sometimes called Willy) fell while working in the attic. He broke his leg and was unable to drag himself to any kind of aid. No one came around for days to check on the building so he was stranded up there where he eventually died from his injuries. Henry’s ghost seems to keep well hidden from the eyes of the living, although he does have a way of making his presence known in many mischievous ways.

Henry enjoys moving props and stealing playbooks. Even the renovations of the opera house failed to jostle Henry from his eternal feistiness. Both patrons and staff alike hear phantom footsteps in the otherwise empty attic on a regular basis. Jon Scott was Executive Director of the non-profit society that runs the opera house. He has heard Henry puttering around on many occasions when he was certain that there was no one else in the building other than himself.

Henry does not roam the entire building, however. He keeps his haunts confined to the second floor stage, hall, and attic. Perhaps the hustle and bustle of the ground floor, where the entrance and ticket booths are located, can become a bit too much for the shy ghost. He does keep rather quiet during performances suggesting that he might be a bit of a connoisseur of the performing arts. His spirit is not malevolent by any means, just in want to be noticed: maybe even in want to land a part in one of the plays. Whatever the case may be, it is probably safe to say that the term, “break a leg” is not used very often at the Enosburg Opera House.