Drive-By
Exterior visit during a campus walk
View Wilner Auditorium from the campus walkways; the interior is open during ticketed productions and box-office hours.
- Duration:
- 30 min
Aerial survey · USDA NAIP · public domain Other Dark Tourism Site
Wilner Auditorium (Wichita State University)
1938 PWA-built theater and commons named for longtime speech-and-theater chair George Wilner; campus lore frames the friendly Wilner ghost as the one keeping the lights on and the doors closing properly.
1845 Fairmount St, Wichita, KS 67260
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 4 sources
Research updated May 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Building exterior is free to visit; ticketed for productions through the WSU box office.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved campus walkways; auditorium has accessible seating.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1938 · Funded by the federal Public Works Administration in the New Deal era · Original Auditorium and Commons Building of the University of Wichita · Named for longtime speech-and-theater chair George D. Wilner (1923-1959) · Active main-stage venue for WSU's School of Performing Arts
The building that is now Wilner Auditorium was constructed in 1938 with funding from the federal Public Works Administration as part of a wave of New Deal-era investment in the University of Wichita (which became Wichita State in 1964). It was originally the Auditorium and Commons Building, combining the campus's main performance space with student commons and dining functions, and it remains one of the signature New Deal-era buildings on the WSU campus.
The building was later renamed Wilner Auditorium to honor George D. Wilner, who joined Fairmount College in 1923 as head of speech and theater and served the program for nearly four decades until his retirement in 1959. Wilner directed major university productions, mentored student actors, and shaped the speech curriculum across a period that spanned the institution's transition from a private college into a municipal university and ultimately into Wichita State University. He died in 1976.
The Wilner stage continues to host the WSU School of Performing Arts' theater and musical-theater productions and serves as a community performance venue. The 553-seat auditorium retains many of its 1930s details and remains one of the most actively used historic theaters on campus.
Sources
- https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/wichita-state-university-wilner-auditorium-wichita-ks/
- https://www.wichita.edu/academics/fine_arts/boxoffice/Wilner.php
- https://thesunflower.com/8480/news/campus/wichita-state-buildings-no-strangers-to-ghost-stories-paranormal-activity/
- https://thesunflower.com/89697/arts-and-culture/features/historical-hauntings-at-wichita-state-yield-spooky-stories-from-staff-and-faculty/
Flickering lights and lights turning on and offDoors opening and closing on their ownDisembodied voicesShadowy figure in the balcony and light boxDisembodied 'red eyes' in the stage shadows
The Sunflower, WSU's student newspaper, has run multiple features on Wilner Auditorium's ghost stories, both in a 2010s overview of Wichita State hauntings and in a 2020s update interviewing staff and faculty. Faculty and crew describe flickering lights, doors that close on their own, disembodied voices, and the occasional apparition, with the activity attributed to George Wilner himself as a 'friendly ghost' watching over the building.
In the Sunflower's reporting, Wilner's ghost is said to roam the halls 'to make sure the building is kept in tip-top condition, opening and closing doors, talking to himself, and checking the light bulbs.' Visit Wichita repeats the framing on its haunted-places page.
Not every account is gentle. The Sunflower has also reported that a campus police officer and a trainee both saw a shadowy figure in the balcony and the light-box area during a late-night shift, and that custodians have described disembodied red eyes in the shadows of the stage. These accounts are framed as witness-level testimony from staff and law-enforcement, and we treat them as well-attested workplace folklore rather than independently confirmed events.
Because George Wilner is the explicit named figure in the lore, we note the real-person attribution carefully: documented life dates (1923 start at Fairmount, retirement 1959, death 1976) match the chronology of the auditorium being named for him and of the post-death 'friendly ghost' framing, with no apparent biographical contradictions in the legend.
Notable Entities
George D. Wilner (1880s/1890s era educator, head of speech and theater 1923-1959, d. 1976)
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
- 1.livingnewdeal.org/sites/wichita-state-university-wilner-auditorium-wichita-ks
- 2.wichita.edu/academics/fine_arts/boxoffice/Wilner.php
- 3.thesunflower.com/8480/news/campus/wichita-state-buildings-no-strangers-to-ghost-stories-paranormal-activity
- 4.thesunflower.com/89697/arts-and-culture/features/historical-hauntings-at-wichita-state-yield-spooky-stories-from-staff-and-faculty
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wilner Auditorium (Wichita State University) family-friendly?
Family-friendly campus stop. The 'friendly ghost' framing is gentle; reports of 'red eyes' in the stage shadows are mild but might warrant context for sensitive kids. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Wilner Auditorium (Wichita State University)?
Building exterior is free to visit; ticketed for productions through the WSU box office. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Wilner Auditorium (Wichita State University) wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Wilner Auditorium (Wichita State University) is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Paved campus walkways; auditorium has accessible seating..