Haunted House History... Need Your Help

[drfrightner]

Okay folks...need your help!

I'm writing an article about the HISTORY of our industry.

Can you think of some milestones, or things that happened that are important?

For example when did MHC start? Does anyone think something was really important that changed haunting for you?

This article will go down hopefully as something others can look back on 20 years from now. Lets get it right.

For me milestones are things like...Distortions making the Electric Chair which opened up haunt vending to so many more people and made things bigger.

The fires at haunted houses that changed safety, blah, blah, blah.

Can you think of any of those things?

Larry

[Matt Marich]

I think you're on the right track with Ed and Marsha. What about the old Girl to gorilla at the state fair? I'm sure Phil Morris can comment on this.

You could also talk to the the relatives of Don Post, he revolutionized the mask business.

My influences were of course Disneyland and a local park that actually was really cool. See the enclosed link to this extinct park, click on the Lost Dutchman Mine and Cochise Stronghold. These two were great water and pretzel attractions.

http://www.legend-city.com/\

Greta Idea Larry

[Gravely]

Not in a particluar order, and in no way a complete list , but here's things that changed some things

Spook Shows in Theatres

The Cinncinatti charity haunts of the 70's with Baron Wolfenstein ( tim heron)

The great adventure fire

Transworld/the first haunter cocktail party at same

Distortions electric chair

Ex Mortis Stalk about

Brianstorms graphics

silo x ( first pre packaged drop in place deal, at least that I remember)

Joe Jensen

IAHA ( regardless of your view, it can't be ignored)

so there's 10 that I'd like to see in an article that I feel affected all of us.

[drfrightner]

What was the guys name who hosted the first ever Knotts Scary Farm?

Additionally Ricky, can you throw some dates on those things?

I have to get all these dates straight.

Here are some things I think are important...

Dr John Haunt Video which lead to Rich Hanf/John Denely videos

Hauntworld Videos

The first ever seminars at Transworld with Joe Jenson

Distortions Elecric Chair

Scarefactory's Corpelator

Transworld Show start first ever haunted house section of show

SiloX first haunt franchise which leads to Chamber of Chills blah, blah.

Haunted AMerica

Hauntworld.com

Haunted Attraction Magazine

Great Adventure Fire

Edge of Hell / Haunted School House longest running haunts

Hauntworld Magazine

Eric Prinze multi motion aniamtions/ VP animatons

Haunted Gatherings...starting with Iron Stock,MHC, and so forth

Multple failed national sponsorship programs

Internet and effect on haunting

Morris Costumes go to haunt company

Major haunts who showed the industry how great things or big things could be starting with Spookyworld, Rocky Point Hauntd House, The Beast

Madison Scare Garden (first major entity to attempt Haunts)

Those are a few I will list more later my brain is hurting...LOL

Can anyone thing of more???

Larry

[Barry]

Okay folks...need your help!

I'm writing an article about the HISTORY of our industry.

Can you think of some milestones, or things that happened that are important?

For example when did MHC start? Does anyone think something was really important that changed haunting for you?

LOL I would hardly put MHC in the historical perspective of the industry but I appreciate the mention.

A few years ago I wanted to write an article on where the haunt industry came from. It was very interesting how the first haunts in Cincinnati got the ball rolling and the large influence the Jaycees had, especially after an article in their national publication in '72 or '73. I then started to look into influences of the dark rides, tilt houses, mirror mazes, and fun houses earlier in the century. Then there was the influx of monster movies and TV shows in the 50's and 60's and I determined this was a much bigger project especially for an amateur writer like me. Maybe someday I will pick it back up but I keep hoping someone else does.

[Infoamtek]

Don't forget about Bob Burns' Halloween Extravaganzas.

[shawnc]

Dark rides

You definitely have to include the dark rides. They prepared generations of both kids and adults to be really scared when the real haunted attractions came along. I have the Doug Higley book about them, but you probably already have it.

[Jolly Pumpkin]

2008 will be the 35th year for The Haunted School House while 2008 will be the 36th year for Hudson Haunted House which is around 45 minutes from The Haunted School House. So right now Hudson Haunted House and The Haunted School House are the oldest running haunts that I know of. The Edge of Hell is only 33 years old. There are a lot of really old haunts in Ohio, but those are probably 2 of the oldest. If anyone can find a haunt that is at least 40 years old or more than 37 tell me.

[Jolly Pumpkin]

Some other things you need to include are Erebus being recognized as the world's largest walk through haunted attraction and the first ever human audio animatronic which was Abe Lincoln at Disney World.

[Jim Warfield]

"Influences" in the haunted House field ? Who could overlook Herman Mudgett's "Murder Mansion" 1898 Chicago(admission was 25 cents) or Wisconsin's favorite son (O.B.) Ed Gine.
Where would most haunts find inspiration without these forerunners?