University Chapel - Auburn, Alabama

History

This interdenominational chapel belonging to Auburn University is the second-oldest building in Auburn.  It is the oldest building in Auburn to remain in its original location.  Built in 1851 as a Presbyterian Church, this building was later used as a Confederate Hospital throughout the Civil War.    When the building housing the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College burned down in 1887, the chapel was converted into temporary classrooms while the college was being rebuilt.

In 1900, the church was renovated; its original Greek Revival style was replaced with Gothic architecture.  It was later sold to Auburn University in 1921 to act as a YMCA and YWCA for the students and staff.  It was later provided to the Auburn Players Theatre in 1927.  The Auburn Players Theatre, Auburn University’s acting troupe, remained in the building until 1973, when they migrated to Telfaire Peet Theatre, also in Auburn.

When the Auburn Players Theatre troupe moved out in 1973, the building underwent another renovation, which lasted until 1976.  This is when the chapel was converted into the interdenominational chapel that it serves as to this day.

Claims

When the Auburn Players took over the building, they began hearing whistling in the attic accompanied by footsteps.  Props apparently moved on their own and floating lights were witnessed throughout the building.  Curious about the identity of the entity, several students used a Ouija board to establish contact with a British Confederate soldier by the name of Sydney Grimlett.

Sydney was a volunteer for the Confederate army who was struck in the leg by cannon shrapnel during combat in 1864.  By the time Sydney received medical aid, his leg had already become gangrenous.  He bled to death during an operation to remove the leg.  He was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, not far from the chapel.

When the Auburn Players moved across town to the Telfaire Peet Theatre, the strange phenomena attributed to Sydney’s presence followed them to their new location.