Entry No. 138 — the Denver file — filed under: ghosts
Dickens Opera House
Built in 1881, this lovingly restored Victorian opera house is Longmont's most famously haunted landmark — employees and performers report a sobbing woman who died on stage, mischievous child spirits in the green room, and a ghostly presence near the old bank vault. Today it operates as an active live-music and event venue with a restaurant (The Passenger) beneath it, and periodically hosts haunted history events including a scheduled "Haunted History of Longmont" evening in June 2026.
The story
In 1881, William Henry Dickens—a distant relative of author Charles Dickens who settled in Boulder County in 1860—built this two-story brick landmark at 300 Main Street to bring high culture to frontier Longmont. He installed his own Farmers National Bank on the ground floor and constructed an opera ballroom upstairs. But the building's history took a grim turn on the night of November 30, 1915, when Dickens was assassinated in his home library by a gunshot through the window, sparking a local murder mystery where his own son stood trial.
You didn't hear it from us, but William's ghost isn't the only spirit rumored to haunt the premises. Performers in the green room report mischievous child spirits tampering with equipment and moving items, while investigators have recorded audio of a sobbing woman—believed to be an actress who died on stage—echoing through empty rooms. Downstairs, near the original iron bank vault that survived every modern renovation, visitors frequently report sudden temperature drops and unexplained footsteps.
Today, the second floor operates as an active performance venue for live music, comedy, and tribute nights, paired with a restaurant, The Passenger, operating on the ground level. Periodically, the venue leans entirely into its ghost stories, hosting ticketed paranormal investigations that grant access to the back-of-house corridors, green room, and historic bank vault after dark.
What it's like
Expect a 35-to-40-minute drive northwest from Denver into downtown Longmont's walkable historic core, where free street parking and public lots surround the 300 block of Main Street. The second-floor opera house feels like an intimate Victorian ballroom with table-style seating and a full stage, though the atmosphere shifts when ghost hunts take over and guides usher small groups into dark basement hallways and the green room. Shows and paranormal nights sell out quickly on a rotating schedule, so book tickets in advance and reserve a table downstairs for dinner before heading upstairs.
The move: Book tickets for a live show at the second-floor Victorian ballroom (bluegrass, jazz, or a tribute night), then linger for a haunted history tour or ghost-hunt event — the venue runs periodic paranormal evenings where you can roam the green room, basement hallways, and old vault with guides while the building's legends come alive around you.
📍 Before you go It's in downtown Longmont, about a 35-40 minute drive northwest of Denver, so treat it as a day trip rather than a quick night out. The building anchors the 300 block of Main Street in the compact, walkable historic core, where free street parking and public lots are easy to find except during big events. Shows and the paranormal evenings sell out and run on a rotating schedule, so book tickets ahead and reserve a table downstairs before the show. Fall, near Halloween, is when the ghost programming peaks. Pair the visit with the surrounding Main Street breweries, cideries, and restaurants.
- 📍 Longmont
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 300 Main St, Longmont, CO 80501
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- The Speakeasy (Imperial Hotel basement) — Located directly across Main Street at 301 Main, this hidden basement bar in the 1881 Imperial Hotel gives you another underground dose of 19th-century Longmont history before or after your show.
- Saul the Sticker Ball (StickerGiant lobby) — Just 1.4 miles down the road, you can contrast Victorian ghost stories with a bizarre 231-pound Guinness World Record ball built from over 171,000 stickers sitting in an office lobby.
- Old Firehouse Museum — Drive five miles south to Niwot to see a genuine one-room 1910 firehouse that claims to be the world's smallest museum, offering another compact slice of local historic preservation.
- Lafayette Vampire Grave (Fodor Glava) — If you want to continue a Front Range ghost hunt, head 11 miles south to Lafayette to visit the grave of Transylvanian miner Fodor Glava, source of local vampire lore.
Good to know
Where is the Dickens Opera House located?
It anchors 300 Main Street at the corner of 3rd Avenue in downtown Longmont, roughly 35 to 40 minutes northwest of Denver.
What kinds of events are held at the venue?
The venue hosts live music including bluegrass, jazz, and tribute acts, alongside specialized events like pro wrestling matches and guided paranormal ghost-hunting nights.
Can you take a ghost tour of the building?
Yes, the venue periodically holds scheduled haunted history events and ghost hunts where guides lead visitors through the green room, basement hallways, and original bank vault.
Is there food and drink on site?
Yes, a restaurant called The Passenger operates on the ground level, and drinks are served upstairs in the opera house during events.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · visitlongmont.org · Yelp · Wikipedia · longmontleader.com
last checked: 2026-06-07