HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
A 1936 New Deal Art Deco memorial hall where a phantom stagehand and shadowy figures have been reported for decades — and where The Gallows was filmed.
2425 Fresno St, Fresno, CA 93721
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
The building is publicly accessible for events. The Legion of Valor Museum inside is free. Performance ticket prices vary by event.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Flat urban site. Accessible entrance available.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1936 · National Register of Historic Places (1994) · New Deal Public Works Administration construction · Anthony Heinsbergen interior murals · Legion of Valor Museum site
In 1933, Fresno voters approved a bond measure to fund construction of a veterans memorial building that would serve the city's civic and cultural needs. The project was matched by a grant from the Public Works Administration, part of FDR's New Deal program, bringing the total budget to roughly $400,000. Construction ran from 1935 through 1936, with the building dedicated on December 31, 1936.
The design was produced by the Allied Architects of Fresno and executed by contractor Trewhitt & Shields Company. The exterior reflects the stripped Moderne and Art Deco conventions of the mid-1930s: a flat facade with minimal ornament, a bas-relief band, and the building name cast in poured concrete above the entrance. Inside, the foyer walls and ceiling feature decorative murals by Anthony Heinsbergen, a Los Angeles-based theatrical decorator responsible for interiors at Grauman's Chinese Theatre and dozens of other California venues of the era.
The original main floor accommodated approximately 2,000 portable chairs, with 1,500 permanent seats in the balcony. A later renovation inserted a 500-seat theater with a sloped floor and improved acoustics into roughly two-thirds of the original auditorium space; the remainder serves rehearsal and other uses. The building houses the Legion of Valor Museum, dedicated to recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The auditorium was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. In 2015, the New Line Cinema horror film The Gallows was shot inside the building, using its backstage corridors and auditorium for found-footage sequences. The film's directors confirmed the building's atmosphere contributed to the production's tone.
Sources
The Veterans Memorial Auditorium's ghost-tour reputation centers on two recurring figures. The first is a stagehand said to have died in an accident in the fly space above the stage — accounts vary on whether he fell from the catwalk or was struck by equipment, but the core claim is a worker killed during the building's long history as a performance venue. Staff describe objects in the backstage area moving without explanation — props, tools, and rigging equipment found in positions inconsistent with how they were left. Unexplained footsteps on the stage after the building is locked are reported by custodial and technical staff.
The second category of reports involves shadowy figures seen in the balcony, most often described as male, standing still and watching the stage. Some staff frame these as veteran presences given the building's memorial designation; others leave the identification open. The accounts come from staff who work the building regularly, not exclusively from paranormal investigation groups.
The US Ghost Adventures Fresno tour includes the auditorium as a featured stop, and the building has been covered in local television features on Central California hauntings, including a CMAC TV segment. The 2015 horror film The Gallows, shot on location in the building, drew additional attention to the backstage spaces where activity is most often reported. The film's producers cited the building's atmosphere in promotional materials, though whether this reflects genuine production experience or marketing language is unclear from available sources.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
The building's lower level houses the free Legion of Valor Museum, dedicated to recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross. The Art Deco foyer features Anthony Heinsbergen murals. The 2,000-seat auditorium is visible during public events.
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