The Historic Dock Street Theatre

Posted: 02.22.2025 | Updated: 02.22.2025

The appearance of the Dock Street Theatre is by all means majestic. Its ground floor, marked by sandstone columns, holds up a decadent second-story balcony characterized by breathtaking wrought iron filigree. Above that stand are rows of impressive windows showcasing the view below. 

Dock Street Theatre was the first construction in America intended to be used solely for theatrical performing arts. Its history is as long as it is compelling. In fact, the first opera performance in North America occurred here.

On the intersection of Church and Dock Street, this theater has been called one of the creepiest in South Carolina. It harbored at least two spirits within its walls, and considering the building’s age, it’s a wonder there aren’t more.

Read on to discover the extraordinary history behind the Dock Street Theatre in Charleston and learn of the curious occurrences that led its ghosts to haunt these thespian walls. 

To learn more about Charleston’s most haunted places, book a ghost tour with Charleston Terrors and experience all the chills this city has to offer. 

Who Haunts The Dock Street Theater? 

This antebellum-style building may house one of the first theaters ever constructed in America, but its ghosts seem to care little about the performances. The historic building has not operated continuously as a theater since its opening. Many of its spirits stem from the building’s other uses. 

Two spirits are said to haunt the Dock Street Theatre: a red-dressed “lady of the night” named Nettie and a former actor whose son just happened to assassinate our 16th president. Yes, the Dock Street Theatre is also believed to be haunted by the specter of Junius Booth, father of actor-turned-assassin John Wilkes Booth. 

From Theater to Hotel, to Theater Again

The Dock Street Theatre opened on February 12th, 1736, exhibiting a production called The Recruiting Officer. Unfortunately, the fanfare would be short-lived. The theater is believed to have been destroyed in the Great Fire of 1740 after a blaze decimated numerous structures in Charleston. 

A hotel, Planter’s Hotel, replaced the theater in 1809. During this time, decorative additions were made to the building, including the columns and signature iron balcony. Planter’s Hotel saw many successful years before succumbing to age and neglect in the post-Civil War era. 

Nearly condemned to a fate of demolition, the building was saved in 1935. Its renovation was initiated by the Works Progress Administration project, created by President FDR during the Great Depression to provide work for unemployed Americans. 

The property soon returned to its original form, once again to be used as a theater. The dining room was redesigned as a box office lobby, while a stage house and auditorium replaced the hotel’s courtyard.

Local architect Albert Simmons crafted the design based on London Playhouses from the 1700s, utilizing regional resources. 

Charleston carpenters used locally sourced black cypress to construct the wood interior and salvaged mantels from the Radcliffe-King Mansion for the decorative woodwork of the drawing room.

The theater reopened in 1937 after a hefty and welcomed renovation, reprising its first performance of The Recruiting Officer. Some 70 years later, it would undergo another restoration. 

This comprehensive undertaking, which took three years and 19 million dollars, modernized the property, completely revitalizing the venue. Updated soundproofing, lighting, and all the modern amenities necessary for contemporary performances were added.

Currently operated by the city of Charleston, the theater maintains its presence as an epicenter for performing arts in the downtown area. It harbors multiple festivals, events, and performances every year.

Dock Street Theatre’s Ghostly Specters

There are two spirits said to haunt this centuries-old venue, one of whom is a woman named Nettie Dickerson. 

Accounts persist of a red-haired woman donning a red dress on the second floor. She is spied descending the hallways and stairways of the second story. Some have spied on her in semi-transparent form, while others say she appears zombie-like. 

However, the accounts of her legs seemingly disappearing into the floor are the strangest of all.

Several witnesses have described Nettie only being seen from the knees up, the bottom portion of her legs touching the flooring. This is believed to be due to the floor being raised by a foot in 1936 when the hotel was transformed once again into a theater. 

Nettie, however, hasn’t seemed to notice and continues treading the ground.

The second figure said to haunt this historic theater is Junius Booth. Junius, the father of actors Edwin Booth and the notorious John Wilkes Booth, died in 1852. 

Although buried in Maryland, he is reported to have stayed at Planter’s Hotel in the 19th century while performing in the city’s theatrical troupe. In 1838, he reputedly tried to kill the manager of the hotel in a fit of rage.  

Descriptions given by those who claim to have seen Junius’s ghost depict him as sporting a frock coat, top hat, and knee-high boots, standing at around 5’7” tall. 

He has been spied on while walking the stage by some. Actors and staff in the building maintain that he’s been so close they’ve experienced his breath down their necks. Perhaps he’s just looking for the manager.

Lady In Red

There are many variations in Nettie’s story and how she came to haunt this historic theater. But, one element remains the same: she is believed to hail from the property’s time as a hotel.

Frequently seen on the second floor, Nettie is believed to have been a prostitute, entertaining the patrons of Planter’s Hotel. 

According to one version of the tale, Nettie originally worked in the office of the St Philip’s Church after relocating to Charleston in 1838. Soon, she became bored with her mundane existence, and drawn by the allure of the nearby hotel, she set her sights elsewhere.

As the story goes, Nettie showed up one night in 1839, arriving in a brazen red dress at the hotel. She quickly became a favorite fixture at the hotel by its many male patrons and found some success in her new career. But all was not well with Nettie. 

She is said to have stood one night on the iconic second-story balcony, gazing at the steeple of her former church, secretly wishing to return. It was at this very moment a bolt of lightning struck down from the sky, knocking her dead. 

In some versions of the tale, Nettie is said to have been receiving a visit from her priest, who requested she return to the church right before she was struck. In other variations, she is simply said to have died as a result of an abortion gone wrong. Regardless of how she died, her soul appears to remain unsettled.

Haunted Charleston

This stunning theater resides on the corner of Church Street and Queen Street (formerly known as Dock Street) in downtown Charleston. Throughout the year, it presents both local productions and touring companies. The building welcomes visitors each and every day to view its architectural splendor, as well as those seeking spooky experiences. 

Keep reading our blog to discover more South Carolina haunted attractions, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok to expand your ghostly horizons and discover even more haunting destinations. 

Are you eager to see all that Chucktown has to offer, fans of the spectral and spooky? Book a ghost tour with Charleston Terrors to explore this city’s untold history.

Sources:

• https://www.npr.org/2011/05/20/136469565/flora-an-18th-century-british-invasion
• https://charlestonstage.com/about-us/dock-street-theatre
• https://www.counton2.com/way-back-wednesday/way-back-wednesday-the-dock-street-theater
• https://www.thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article280999658.html
• https://www.nps.gov/places/dock-street-theatre.htm
• https://theghostdoctor.com/the-second-act-at-the-dock-street-theater/
• https://www.charleston-sc.gov/154/Dock-Street-Theatre