What was the scariest house in your neighborhood? One similar to the one from “Psycho?” Maybe the one from “To Kill A Mockingbird.” “The Shining,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Poltergeist,” “Frankenstein,” “Beetlejuice,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas?” There are plenty to chose from.

Ours was one in the neighborhood in the middle of the block. It was a good-sized house, dingy white in color (it needed paint) with an untended yard surrounded by a dirty and in-need-of-repair white picket fence. Yes, someone did live in it. An old guy who occasionally could be seen on the front porch. He was pretty scary to young children.

Every once in awhile kids would dare one kid to go into the yard, up onto the porch and ring the bell and run. Sometimes a kid would take the dare and often as the children were running away, the old guy would open the door, step out onto the porch and yell at them. Most of the time kids would just run past the house as fast as they could due to the rumor that a kid that once lingered outside looking toward the house got pulled inside the house—woosh, just like that. It was our hometown haunted house with ghost stories all its own.

Then there is the Haunted House at the Carnival…….Haunted Houses have always held a fascination for children. Their imagination is fed by spooky-looking places. It holds true for adults, too, though many would never admit it. At this time of year on the Oregon Coast, a true Haunted House happens. From October 20^th through October 31^st, the Chetco Pelican Players will create their 11^th annual Haunted House in an old, abandoned warehouse in Brookings-Harbor. Now known as “Chops Mart,” the Haunted House is located in the Brookings-Harbor Shopping Center at 97900 Shopping Center Ave in Harbor.

The “Hicksville Horror Show” opens on Thursday, October 23 at 7:00 pm. Travel the overgrown trails of the back roads of Hicksville and be ‘entertained to death’ by the frightening creatures you will encounter. Ghouls, Goblins, Ghosts and more reside here and randomly appear before anyone who is brave enough to travel these paths.

Queen Witch Claire Willard reins over the dark, hidden horrors of Hicksville staring a host of beasties, creeps and carnage carnies. The survivors of this demented tour of fright will be rewarded with yummy Trick or Treats and huge helpings of Queen Claire’s wicked “Creepy Crawly Chili,” in her ghoulie backwoods “Beastro.”

There is an entry fee of $10 per victim. This event is NOT recommended for children under the age of 10 – it’s that scary! The “Hicksville Horror Show” is open Thursdays, Oct. 23 and 30 and Sunday, Oct. 26 from 7 to 10 pm; Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct 25 and Nov 1 from 7 to 11 pm; and on Halloween, Oct 31 from 7 pm to midnight.

Don’t miss this spooky, fun event on the Oregon Coast. Brookings-Harbor is a very pleasant drive from www.umpquahaven.com. Stay with us and come home to the peace and serenity of our small park!