Williamsburg theatre on the site of the Ware family Civil War field hospital
Williamsburg, VA
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Performance and film ticket pricing varies; check current Kimball Theatre schedule
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved
Equipment
Photos OK
The Kimball Theatre on Merchants Square in Williamsburg, Virginia stands on land formerly occupied by the Ware family residence. Mrs. Ware, widowed before the Civil War, was known in the community for converting her home into a refuge for poverty-stricken families, opening her doors to those in need.
During the May 5, 1862 Battle of Williamsburg — fought as part of the Peninsula Campaign — the Ware home was pressed into service as a makeshift field hospital. Both Confederate and Union casualties were treated there in the chaotic hours after the engagement, which left more than 3,800 soldiers dead, wounded, or missing across both armies.
The Kimball Theatre is now part of Colonial Williamsburg's Merchants Square. The theatre hosts film screenings, lectures, and live performances. The Civil War history of the site is regularly featured on Williamsburg ghost tour itineraries.
Sources
The Kimball Theatre's signature story concerns two Virginia brothers who fought on opposite sides during the Civil War. The Shadowlands account places the moment of discovery at the Ware home itself: Union soldiers, searching for Confederate troops, found a wounded Confederate brought into the house. The Confederate was identified as the brother of one of the Union soldiers. The Union officer reportedly returned to combat and died, possibly at Richmond.
Later ghost-tour accounts adjust the geography but preserve the structural conceit: brothers from a single family divided across the lines, with one identified by the other among the wounded. The accounts attached to the theater describe two figures in Civil War uniforms seen walking inside and outside the building. The figures have reportedly been seen vanishing through walls and sitting quietly in the auditorium during performances. Restroom-area lore describes mischievous activity attributed to the same presences.
The specifics of the brothers — names, units, exact dates — are not anchored in cited service records and should be treated as the theater's tradition rather than documented biography.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Visit the Kimball Theatre on Merchants Square in Williamsburg, Virginia, on the site of the former Ware family home that served as a Civil War-era field hospital during the 1862 Battle of Williamsburg. The theater hosts film screenings and live performances; consult the current Colonial Williamsburg schedule for showtimes.
Several Williamsburg ghost-tour operators include the Kimball Theatre as a regular stop. The Ware family field-hospital history and the brother-versus-brother Civil War folklore are featured on these guided evening walks through Merchants Square and the colonial core.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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