Above photo: Whitney Husz completes the final touches on the new TERROR OF TALLAHASSEE haunted house sign.
Get Your terror on at haunted house
(Northeast Chronicle, Thursday Oct. 23, 2008. Page 5)
There's a giant warehouse that looks old and abandoned to those who pass by on Gaines street, but if they dared to go inside around Halloween, they would know it not empty at all: It is filled with fear.
That's because the ancient 12,000 square feet building is actually the home of the Terror of Tallahassee, North Florida's largest haunted attraction. Every October, dozens of actors and volunteers descend upon the building and bring it alive with magic, illusions, elaborate displays, and uncanny frights.
Volunteers range from high school students to seasoned senior citizens. Most work for free, but various non-profit groups like the Maclay Key Club and Lake Iamonia Volunteer Fire Fighters also provide staff and benefit from the proceeds. "We get all sorts of actors, artists, and performers to help, but most of all, we get people who just love scaring the poop out of the patrons!" explains Jennifer Futch, a Senior Anthropology student at FSU who also moonlights as a monster and the volunteer co-ordinator at the haunt.
This is the tenth year of terrorizing Tallahasseeians for the group. The Halloween event actually began in 1999 on North Monroe street as The Mystery Playhouse Of Terror. When the old building was demolished in 2003 to make room for a new Goodwill building, the haunt moved to its new location at 826 W. Gaines and the name was changed.
The haunt opens at 826 W. Gaines on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday October 24th - 26th from 8 to 11pm, and then again Wednesday October 29th through November 1st. More event details are posted at www.TerrorOfTallahassee.com or call 513-9190.
rev. 10.22.08 rev 10/10