Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Mike and Heather Wherry, known in Xenia’s Sterling Green neighborhood for their yearly home haunt, has teamed up with Bryan and Claudia Williams, owners of Orchard Lane Events, to share the story of The Demented Manor through a new agritourism event.
“This is going to be something you went through as a child or your parents went through,” Wherry said. “It’s an actual house that is haunted. There (have) been a lot of stories brought up since I started this.”
The house was built in the 1900s, but the 45-acre farm has a long history. There is a cemetery on the property with tombstones from the 1700s.
According to Wherry, the Lane Family settled into the property in 1937 and have many stories of oddities that happened in the home. For example, the grandmother would have to lock doors to make sure toys would not move around the house at night. She would also hear babies crying or a man singing when she was home alone.
The Lane Family sold the property in the 2000s, and after going through several owners, the Williamses bought it in 2020. When they were planning to remodel the house, they found weird things throughout like a Ouija board and burlap in the wall, Wherry said.
Those interested in hearing the full story of what happened in The Demented Manor, or just want to visit for Halloween fun, the attraction will open the last weekend of September with plans to run through Nov. 4.
Here is a list of haunted attractions in the Dayton region:
If you would like your haunted attraction to be added, send details to Natalie.Jones@coxinc.com.
DAYTON SCREAM PARK 🦇🕸🕷
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Location: 4040 Wright Way Road in Dayton
Opening Date: Sept. 8
Details: Dayton Scream Park is back with new scenes, state-of-the-art special effects and live actors.
Last year, owner Lance Compton bought the property beside the land he previously leased for the park and built a new compound. The new compound featured seven main areas with over 30 scenes and 60 actors. It took guests around 45 to 60 minutes to explore.
Dayton Scream Park is open Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 29. Tickets are sold from dark until midnight for $20 on Fridays and $25 on Saturdays. The park offers a VIP option that takes guests to the front of the line for an additional $20 on Fridays and $25 on Saturdays. The park also has a concession stand and free parking.
For more information about Dayton Scream Park, visit www.daytonscreampark.com or the compound’s Facebook page.
THE LAND OF ILLUSION HAUNTED SCREAM PARK 🦇🕸🕷
Location: 8762 Thomas Road in Middletown
Opening Date: Sept. 8
Details: The Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park is open with five haunted houses and a haunted trail.
Guests will be able to enjoy a variety of other entertainment options at the park including themed weekends. There will be food, treats and drinks available at the park.
The Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park is open from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 28. Tickets start at $20.
For more information about The Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park, visit www.landofillusion.com or the park’s Facebook page.
HELL’S DUNGEON 🦇🕸🕷
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Credit: Marshall Gorby
Location: 3866 Linden Ave. in Dayton
Opening Date: Sept. 9
Details: Hell’s Dungeon, an all-indoor haunted attraction, is back with 27,000 square feet of thrills.
The haunted attraction, located on the backside of Eastown Shopping Center, features a story that includes Rufus, their resident Devil, and The Firewoods, a family of sadistic cannibals.
Hell’s Dungeon is open 8 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 4. Admission is $26.
For more information about Hell’s Dungeon, visit www.survivehellsdungeon.com or the attraction’s Facebook page.
BRIMSTONE HAUNT 🦇🕸🕷
Credit: JRDEE2
Credit: JRDEE2
Location: 525 Brimstone Road in Wilmington
Opening Date: Sept. 15
Details: Brimstone Haunt is back with six terrifying attractions this season including the new Cranium Crusher.
The haunt is open Friday and Saturday nights through October. The ticket office opens at 7 p.m. and attractions will begin as soon as it’s dark. The ticket office closes at 11:30 p.m. Guests can also purchase tickets online. Parking costs $3 cash at the door.
A combo ticket including the Haunted Hayride, Forgotten Forest and Psychosis is available for $32 online. Tickets for each attraction can be purchased separately.
For more information about Brimstone Haunt, visit www.brimstonehaunt.com or the attraction’s Facebook page.
FACE YOUR FEARS: HOTEL OF TERROR 🦇🕸🕷
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Location: 1291 Cold Springs Road in Springfield
Opening Date: Sept. 15
Details: Face Your Fears: Hotel of Terror is back for another season of bone-chilling fun.
The haunted attraction is located in a four-story farmhouse that truly looks like a hotel from the 1850s. The house has been abandoned since 1940.
Face Your Fears: Hotel of Terror is open Friday and Saturday nights from 8 p.m. to midnight through Oct. 28. Tickets are $20 and touch passes are available.
For more information about Face Your Fears: Hotel of Terror, visit www.faceyourfearshaunt.com or the haunted hotel’s Facebook page.
RIVERSIDE JAYCEES HAUNTED CASTLE OF CARNAGE & TRAIL 🦇🕸🕷
Credit:
Credit:
Location: 1213 Old Harshman Road in Riverside
Opening Date: Sept. 22
Details: Riverside Jaycees Haunted Castle of Carnage & Trail is opening for its 38th season. This all-volunteer attraction is the longest running haunt in the Miami Valley.
The haunted attraction is open 8 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 29. Guests must be in line by 9:30 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $17. A VIP/FAST PASS option is available for $25.
For more information about Riverside Jaycees Haunted Castle of Carnage, visit www.riverside-jaycees.com or the haunted attraction’s Facebook page.
TERROR MAZE 🦇🕸🕷
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Location: 6988 Springfield-Jamestown Road in Springfield
Opening Date: Sept. 22
Details: Terror Maze, a family-owned haunt, is back with trails and mazes through the woods.
The haunted attraction is open Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to midnight through Oct. 28. Tickets are $17.
For more information about Terror Maze, visit www.terrormaze.com or the haunted attraction’s Facebook page.
NIGHTMARE MANOR 🦇🕸🕷
Credit: Facebook Photo
Credit: Facebook Photo
Location: 1601 S. University Blvd. Suite A in Middletown
Opening Date: Sept. 22
Details: Nightmare Manor is back with lots of new scenes, monsters and surprises. Attendees can expect three new areas on the trail and a few new rooms inside.
The haunted attraction is open 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturday in Sept. and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October.
For more information about Nightmare Manor, visit www.nightmaremanorhaunt.com or the haunted attraction’s Facebook page.
THE DEMENTED MANOR 🦇🕸🕷
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Location: 2185 State Route 235 in Xenia
Opening Date: Last weekend in Sept.
Details: The Demented Manor, the Dayton region’s newest haunted attraction, is an old-school haunted house set in a 1900s farmhouse with a long history of oddities.
The Demented Manor will be open 7 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 4. From 5 to 7 p.m. the venue is open for those who would like to walk through the house without activated props and scare actors.
With the purchase of a $15 scare photo, you will be granted free access to the haunted house. For more information, visit the haunted attraction’s Facebook page.
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