The House of Nightmares-The Downfall and Rebirth of a Classic
By Noah Wullkotte
Imagine a large spooky mansion off in the distance as lightning strikes around this menacing force. You’re curious enough to venture inside or run for your life. It stands over four stories high with over ninety rooms, but what lives behind its walls? For over 75 years, this towering structure has been home for farmers, students and many souls alike. Can you survive stepping inside this place of evil and horror? Then come visit this fall season while the peaceful day becomes the haunting night?
One of the truly great haunts in Ohio has some truly unique individuals that help bring it to life.
Ella is a mother of two who’s love of horror and haunts spawns greater than The House of Nightmares. This is her story of her start in the haunt industry and the end of a haunt classic.
My name is Ella and I live in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. I’ve worked at The House of Nightmares for three years now and the way I got my job was more or less a fluke. One bright and sunny day I was taking my two boys out for job hunting and we soon came across a huge building. It was very large and creepy. I knew of the rumors from people claiming that it was haunted, but I was still intrigued. My boys would eventually convince me to fill out an application to work at this odd place. I had no clue what the future held for me at The House of Nightmares, but I was sure looking forward to it.
When late September finally came around, I was quite nervous as to whether I would be a hit or not, but those worries finally died down when I read a review of our haunt. Isn’t it funny how now that I work at a place, it’s considered mine too even though I’m not the owner. Well, long story short I was talked about in the review itself and I couldn’t have been happier.
Well throughout the years I would help out with the construction while throwing in some ideas of my own. In 2005 I would eventually be given a new title. I would be known as “The Spider Bride” and would inhabit the gothic hallway. It didn’t get any better than that and I couldn’t have a better boss.
Unfortunately bad news would come along and the smiles would soon change to tears. In early January 2006, four of the floors of the building had caved in and the dreams of improving The House of Nightmares had become one with the wind. While picking up the pieces, it was hard to hold back the tears, but I knew there would be a bright future for this nightmare.
In 2006 owner and operator Dave Trisch found a new location in downtown Columbus where the old Bloody Brewery used to call home. While the building gives off a haunted presence the haunt will never be the same as it was and the true House of Nightmares will always breathe evil in the old haunted Mt.Vernon building. The new House of Nightmares lasted 2 years and in 2009 it was replaced with The Terror Fest. The Terror Fest is a state of the art haunt with incredible actors and some amazing effects. While The House of Nightmares is no more, a bit of it lives on at The Terror Fest.
The House of Nightmares and The Terrorfest are no more. The House of Nightmares will be remembered as one of the best haunts we’ve ever visited and our first Haunt of the Year in 2004.