The fear is palpable. Adrenaline unstoppable. Such is the experience of going to a haunted house like HellsGate.
According to HellsGate’s website, in 1982, a group of theater students opened an award-winning haunted house, allegedly on the actual ground of an old cemetery. “Lost Souls Cemetery ” founded by Capt. John Flagg Moorstone, an immigrant from Europe who lost his wife and children on the sea voyage to America.
This haunted house was built to be an exact replica of the cemetery and a funeral home dating back to 1939. For ten years straight, this haunted house was a huge accomplishment and was succeeding very well, but suddenly in 1992, HellsGate had to shut down. As the story goes, during the third week of October in 1992, eleven actors and managers went missing while working in the haunted house, leading to a whole investigation. HellsGate had to be shut down till further notice. After two years of investigation, the case was closed and considered unsolved because there was no trace or evidence of how the workers disappeared and where they went.
Many locals ask if this place is actually haunted or not, but the story is very believable that HellsGate is indeed haunted. According to the website, before the name HellsGate, it was called “Lost Souls”. Lost Souls was then changed to Hellsgate by governor John Altgeld. He believed that anyone buried in that graveyard could not have been a good Christian, so if they are all doomed to an eternity in Hell, then this is the front gate.
Today, HellsGate can be visited from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. during peak Halloween season, and is located at Lockport, Illinois. The cost of entry ranges from $37-150, depending on the access desired.
HellsGate is a slightly different experience compared to other haunted houses since visitors have to go on a school bus from one site to another. But overall, those looking for an activity during the spooky season with your friends or family should check out HellsGate haunted house.
When visitors first arrive at the scene, a school bus takes all passengers on a 10-minute drive to the actual haunted house. When guests arrive, there is a ticket check in line and some food spots to check out if any food or water is needed beforehand. Visitors then wait in line for some time but the wait is worth it. After that, the first part of the adventure begins: it consists of several dark trails and a few small buildings full of scary decorations and disturbing workers. As guests walk through these trails, the workers may appear unexpectedly, ready to scare.
After spot one, the next spot beholds. Visitors go through a setting of a cemetery which leads to the last part of the adventure- the multilevel mansion, but before that, the chainsaw man will start chasing those who run.
Once visitors successfully reach the mansion, they are put in lines by other costumed workers guarding the house, waiting for their confirmation to enter. When approval is guaranteed, guests go through many different types of terrifying walkways inside the house since each level has its own style.
After around 10-20 minutes in the mansion, the main entertainment is over and guests can check out the gift shop. After a thrilling experience, guests can hang out in the game/food area before heading back on the bus.
HellsGate haunted house is highly recommended to those going with a group or a partner. The reason being there are different parts to the haunted house that make the setting unique and particularly terrifying. In order to arrive at the actual waiting line, attendees take a school bus through the scary woods; then when the line is over and it is their turn to enter HellsGate, expect to be scared. Visitors will spend around forty minutes getting through the whole haunted house, and it is worth every moment.
For those who enjoy jumpscares and adrenaline rushes, this is the way to go. It is best to go with a group that has that one friend who leads the line entering the house. Many parts of the house are very dark or have a lot of flashing lights, making it difficult to see where the workers/characters are expected to be. Then when visitors least expect it, the costumed workers pop out of nowhere and cause one’s adrenaline to start racing – and the pounding heart rate will continue to increase as customers tour the whole house. The jumpscares are pretty bad (in a great way), but some of the noises are even worse: they are loud, scary and unexpected. For example, the horrifying chainsaw man who will start chasing whoever runs.
The whole haunted house was honestly great from beginning to end. That said, waiting in line, which takes about an hour (again, during peak season), even with a pre-paid ticket, is unfortunate: not only are attendees stuck with other people in line, but there are also stinky (with a lot of people crammed into a tight, humid space, the BO increases), frightening workers roaming around, putting visitors on edge.
However, the pricing cannot be beat. This haunted house is ranked the best haunted house in Illinois, according to the commercials, and the cost being $40-something is reasonable (FYI, purchasing tickets online, they will be $40 flat). After exiting the haunted house, attendees can also participate in games or purchase food; both are a bit pricey, but worth the memories.
Overall, this haunted house is a great one to check out with a group of friends or family. The pricing is fair, the setting is creative and spooky, and the jumpscares – which lead to an insane amount of adrenaline – are all things to consider.
