The Historic Opera House in Mantorville is Haunted by a Father and his Little Girl

The 1918 Opera House in Mantorville, Minnesota has worn many hats over the last century. It has operated as a silent film theater, talkie cinema, high school basketball gym, town polling place, Prohibition-era speakeasy, and even a disco complete with a glittering ceiling ball.

Today, it’s home to the Mantorville Theatre Company. But according to local historians and paranormal groups, the living actors aren't the only ones taking the stage.

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Back in 1895, this exact spot held Kundert’s Mercantile before a massive fire wiped out the block in the early 1900s. The limestone building standing today was put up in 1917, and it turns out a few of the original tenants decided to stay.

According to the Mantorville Restoration Association, investigators with Allied Historic Paranormal Investigations (AHPI) have explored the Opera House nearly 40 times, capturing some wild evidence tied back to the old mercantile days.

The original store owner, Ben, is believed to haunt the upper levels alongside his 6-year-old daughter, Violet. They seem to have a pet, too. Investigators have captured roughly 40 audio clips of a cat meowing in empty rooms, with several researchers feeling a phantom feline rub against their ankles in the dark. How creepy is that?!?!

It's not just Ben and Violet, either.

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A spirit named Harold frequents the basement. During one investigation, a female researcher felt someone touch her backside and asked aloud, "Harold, did you just touch my butt?" Her audio recorder caught an immediate male voice replying: "YEAH."

ALSO READ: Hubbell House Staff in Mantorville Share Paranormal Experiences 

Upstairs in the theater, a spirit named Ellen hangs around the balcony, known for moving stage props and messing with spotlights during rehearsals. Then there's Robert, a music critic in the balcony who isn't afraid to voice his opinions. Pianists report that if he dislikes a song, unexplained banging escalates through the auditorium until they stop playing.

Over the years, visitors have witnessed heavy doors swinging open without a draft, phantom piano melodies echoing through dark rooms, and wind-up toys activating entirely on their own.

If you want to learn more, you can book a tour of Mantorville with Dr. Hawk Horvath, Southeast Minnesota's premier paranormal investigator.