Can You Survive the Bludgeon House?
Every year, people from all over Loudon County look forward to the most successful haunted house in the area, Dead Man’s Farm. Each October, thrill seekers wait in long lines for many attractions such as the haunted house, a corn maze featuring killer clowns, and even a simulation of being buried alive. Ashley Steedley (12) discusses her favorite part of visiting Dead Man’s Farm in the fall.
“My favorite thing about [Dead Man’s Farm] is that even if you don’t get scared easily, the actors do a good job at making the jump scares unpredictable,” Steedley said.
The haunted house is a walkthrough of the farm of the Bludgeon family, a group of maniacs who have supposedly terrorized Loudon County for decades using dark magic on victims who were naive enough to cross to their land. The actors inside the haunted house display this well, with Grandpa Bludgeon greeting you in the middle of what looks like a ritual before leading you to the kitchen of his cannibalistic daughter.
“One of the scariest parts was the grandpa at the front because he was new to the haunted house, and it was surprising,” Steedley said.
If you’re not up for the haunted house, there are still attractions for you. The 5-minute escape rooms and zombie cages aren’t really frightening but require lots of teamwork and still have a spooky atmosphere. The buried alive simulation is also an option if you want to smell the flowers and hear the voices of the people lowering you into your “grave.” The corn maze seems scarier than it is when you get inside, with a few jump scares and the chainsaws at the end to give you an adrenaline rush. If none of these sound like your thing, go to the food trucks, sit by the fire, and let the fire performers amaze you with their acts, such as swallowing flames.
No matter who you are, Dead Man’s Farm has a scare for you. For the rest of October, the staff and actors will give the people of Loudon County performances that will leave them coming back year after year. If you still haven’t visited the Bludgeon farm, head to Philadelphia to see what people are screaming about.
