Literally, a Haunted House at Culbertson Mansion (New Albany, IN)
“Fear Monsters In The Mold”
By Noah Wullkotte: jollypumpkin@aol.com
What’s growing inside the walls of the old carriage house behind Culbertson Mansion? Is it mold or is it pure evil? You’ll soon find out. Literally, a Haunted House is one of Indiana’s most beloved haunts. The cast is all volunteer and to say that they have heart is putting it lightly.
It was a dark and stormy night when we visited. It was the perfect setting for a night of fright. Every season, this haunt has a new theme and practically every scene is created to reflect that. Last year the theme was “A House Possessed” and this year it’s “Toxic”. We always like this about Literally, a Haunted House because it gets us excited to see what the new scenes will be like. Enter a spooky graveyard that’s been taken over by the living dead. You will be escorted by a member from the Special Ops. He’s prepared to go to battle with some flesh eating zombies and he will use his high powered rifle if he has to. Will you make it out alive?
The staff at Literally, a Haunted House wants to make sure that you haven’t been infected. So, you and your group will be scanned. Those infected will enter one room while those who are clean will be placed somewhere else. I’m not going to give away the surprise of course. Literally, a Haunted House has some unusual characters and they’re not afraid to touch you. One of my favorite scenes involves a mother and her pride and joy. There’s one ugly ass baby that you’re going to get up close and personal with. The damn brat bit my finger. You might even have to give a sample of blood before being allowed to exit one scene. It’s the doctor’s orders don’t you know.
There are some very enthusiastic actors. Many of them are young, but they do a great job. The victims in the incinerator screamed out for help as they perished. They were very convincing. Other characters include Edmund “Metal Mouth” Dorrance who is played by Corey Sandlin. Corey is known for his wild characters and Metal Mouth is another crazy one. Metal Mouth was part of the clean up crew until he got infected. Now he just stacks bodies.
Literally, a Haunted House consists of some unique scenes and effects. For years they’ve been known for their body chute. You’ll be forced to lay down inside a coffin and be taken for a ride. The other people in your group will enter a small box where they will spin around and around. It’s pretty cool and sets this haunt apart from others. There are other scenes such as a laboratory and even a murky swamp. Get lost in the haze and prepare to be chased by a chainsaw maniac. Yes, there could be more detail in some scenes and the lighting could be improved. But overall they do a fine job with the toxic theme.
Literally, a Haunted House can be too much for some people. Every season the staff keeps track of those who quit, puked, blacked out, crapped their pants and more. They’re called Spooky Oopsies and every week they update the chalk board. There were 3 craptastrophies and one person nearly puked the weekend we visited. Total tour time was 15 minutes, but could be longer depending on your interaction with the demented characters. Tickets are $15 which is pretty low for haunts in the area. Click here to visit their Facebook page for a $2 off coupon. There are various concessions available including candy and more. I bought myself a Snickers bar which was only $1. Proceeds from the haunt go towards the restoration of the Culbertson Mansion Historic Site. Please visit www.hauntedculbertson.org for information on various events.
Literally, a Haunted House at Culbertson Mansion is an exciting haunt with some very creative scenes. Many of the scenes are more enjoyable with a larger group because of how interactive the haunt is at times. There’s a reason why they’ve been scaring people for 34 years. It’s good old spooky fun, plain and simple.
Length-8 Design-8 Props/Animatronics-7 Acting-9 Scare Effect-8
Final Stab: 8.0
www.hauntedculbertson.org