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Verdun Manor - Thrillvania Featured Article

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  • Verdun Manor - Thrillvania Featured Article

    Hey folks... Hauntworld magazine is IN PRODUCTION FINALLY! We are finally starting to get all the articles together. Check out the online version of Verdun Manor in Dallas Texas. http://www.hauntworld.com/featured_a...n_dallas_texas

    The next issue of the magazine will feature a featured article written by myself on how to build, operate and be successful operating a screampark style haunted house.

    Coming soon!

    Let me know what you think of the Verdun Manor article...as you may or may not know its now owned by Todd James of Cutting Edge.

    Larry
    Larry Kirchner
    President
    www.HalloweenProductions.com
    www.BlacklightAttractions.com
    www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
    www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

  • #2
    I just read the article and I have to say, it was a good representation of Verdun. Nice to read all that history of that place, good job!

    I would like to share some personal info on Verdun and how I ended up fascinated about the entire Haunt Industry...

    I was 6 years old when my dad took me to my very first Haunted House. It was in an old creepy greenish colored house on Abram St in Arlington TX in 1989. Halloween was one of my favorite holiday's, but that first terrifying visit truly left an impression on me. I never remembered the name of that Haunt (but certainly never forgot it!), until I had a conversation with Sue Pope (Lances mom) while visiting Verdun Manor one night. I was asking her questions about Lance and how he got started and all. She mentioned that one of his first Haunts was in an old Green House on Abram St in Arlington TX. I could not believe what I was hearing... that the first Haunt I ever visited was created by the same person that created my favorite Haunt today! I never met Lance, but from those that I have talked to who knew him say he was a great Haunter who left a great impression on them... Just as he did on me.

    Michael E. from the Haunt House posted these pics from that early version of Verdun, and the first Haunt I ever went to:

    Verdun 1990_2.jpgVerdun 1990_4.jpg

    Thanks to him, I thought I would never see these images again.
    Last edited by MrNightmare; 06-07-2013, 12:04 PM.

    Comment


    • #3
      This is 110% incredible. Holy Cow! That is truly incredible. Do you have any pics of the inside? Larry
      Larry Kirchner
      President
      www.HalloweenProductions.com
      www.BlacklightAttractions.com
      www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
      www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by drfrightner View Post
        This is 110% incredible. Holy Cow! That is truly incredible. Do you have any pics of the inside? Larry
        Thanks Larry! Yeah, it really is an incredible story! The pics came from Michael E. (Haunt House) who was good friends with Lance. I'm sure he has some pics from the inside of the Verdun that Lance did in Arlington in 1989, I know I would love to see them myself!

        As far as the inside goes, from what I remember (as a 6yr old) of that first visit, is that I was scared out of my mind so much that my dad had to drag me through it and I kept closing my eyes. There was one room in particular that I clearly remember... It was very dark, and the only lighting was a slow strobe light. Toward the exit of the room, stood a Werewolf right next to the door. I was not sure if it was a Prop or an actor about to scare the crap out of me. I stood there, froze with fear and could not even move! At the last part of the House was a long, narrow tunnel that I ran like hell to get out as I could hear a chainsaw moving toward my direction!

        Like I said, I had very little memory of that place and did not even know the name of it. I just remembered that we went on Halloween Night after Trick-or-Treating when I was six and that place gave me such an adrenaline rush, that I knew I wanted to one day have my own place to scare people like that. Since that first visit, I was hooked on Haunted Houses and to say I still am is an understatement. As a teenager, I enjoyed many Haunts but when many of my friends told me about this huge Haunt in Forney that I needed to check out, I really didn't have a favorite. When I made my first visit to Thrillvania, Lance had just moved Verdun from Forney to Terrell. I was in complete awe of that place, from the attention to detail, acting, and atmosphere... I knew I finally found my favorite Haunt (that place was just damn cool and captured the Halloween feel!). I always heard great things about Lance and wanted to meet him, as I completely admired his work. When I was going to take the initiative to meet him, I found out that he had passed away. Many Haunters that I spoke to around the DFW area all had one thing in common... they knew of Lance and his influence on them. So finding out that he was the mastermind behind the very first Haunt I ever visited was truly mind blowing.

        Comment


        • #5
          PICS of the inside...

          Here are some pictures of HVM in Arlington 1986
          v3_013.jpgv3_026.jpgv3_031.jpgv3_038.jpgv3_039.jpg
          Bart Butler
          HobNob Productions
          http://www.brainchowstudios.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Pics of the inside...

            Here is HVM 1987...
            v4_016.jpgv4_019.jpgv4_020.jpgv4_021.jpgv4_027.jpg
            Bart Butler
            HobNob Productions
            http://www.brainchowstudios.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Pics of the inside....

              HVM Arlington 1988.
              v5_002.jpgv5_016.jpgv5_027.jpgv5_030.jpgv5_035.jpg
              Bart Butler
              HobNob Productions
              http://www.brainchowstudios.com

              Comment


              • #8
                Pics of the inside...

                HVM Arlington 1988.
                v5_041.jpgv5_067.jpgv5_075.jpgv5_083.jpgv5_107.jpg
                Bart Butler
                HobNob Productions
                http://www.brainchowstudios.com

                Comment


                • #9
                  Flyers...

                  I have got pics of the flyer artwork for the Arlington location too.. if you want to see it.
                  Bart Butler
                  HobNob Productions
                  http://www.brainchowstudios.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I have some misc pics from this era somewhere- ones Bart hasn't posted. I'll have to check my other computer and see if I can find them.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      That is incredible!!! Thanks for sharing. Larry
                      Larry Kirchner
                      President
                      www.HalloweenProductions.com
                      www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                      www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                      www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I don't have any interior pics but I do have the floor plan, fire escape print. Ill scan it when I have time.

                        Alex
                        Alex Lohmann

                        Owner/Operator 13th Street Morgue Haunted House www.13thstreetmorgue.com
                        Owner/Operator Dungeon of Doom Haunted House www.dungeonofdoomtexas.com
                        Owner/Operator When Hinges Creak LLC. www.whenhingescreak.com
                        PR Director for Reindeer Manor Haunted Abusement Park www.rmabusementpark.com
                        Founder of Dallas Trocars Hearse Club www.dallastrocars.com
                        Rev Yum Yum

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Spoils View Post
                          I have got pics of the flyer artwork for the Arlington location too.. if you want to see it.
                          Hell yeah I want to see it! Thanks for sharing these great pics Bart! I remember talking to you about Lance 4 years ago or so... I think it was in your 2nd year of operation. Your Haunt gets better every year man, keep it up!

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