Spider Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spider Hill |
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Spider Hill logo
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Sign for Spider Hill at Three Sisters Park, October 2023
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| Status | Active |
| Frequency | Annually in October |
| Venue | Three Sisters Park |
| Location(s) | 17189 State Route 29, Chillicothe, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 40°32′01″N 89°18′05″W / 40.533633°N 89.301313°W |
| Country | USA |
| Inaugurated | 1999 |
Spider Hill is a super fun and spooky event that happens every year in October! It's held at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Illinois. People go there to celebrate Halloween with haunted trails, scary houses, and even ghost tours. It's known as one of the best haunted places in Central Illinois!
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History of Spider Hill
Spider Hill started way back in 1999. The local Optimist Club and Three Sisters Park created it. In its first year, about 8,000 people visited. The event had three main attractions. These were the Massacre Mansion, the Haunted Express hayride, and the Trail of Terror.
The name "Spider Hill" comes from a spooky legend. Organizers tell a story about 23 people who supposedly died there. The legend says they were bitten by venomous spiders during World War I. This scary tale helps set the mood for the haunted event!
Volunteers Make it Happen
Spider Hill is run completely by amazing volunteers. In 2000, there were about 60 volunteers. By 2007, that number grew to 165! In 2022, around 100 people volunteered. These volunteers even have workshops. They learn new ways to make visitors scream and jump!
The last time attendance numbers were shared was in 2004. That year, 20,000 visitors explored the attractions. This happened over the weekends in October and on Halloween night. Volunteers say that scary clowns cause the biggest screams. One time, a grown man fainted twice because of a clown! Another person even spit at a clown for scaring his girlfriend.
Spider Hill took a break in 2020. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exciting Attractions
Spider Hill has several thrilling attractions for visitors. Each one offers a different kind of spooky fun!
Massacre Mansion
The Massacre Mansion is the main haunted house at Spider Hill. It's a really big house, about 8,000 square feet! In 2012, Spider Hill bought another haunted house. It was called Nightmare Manor and came from Cedar Rapids. Its props and decorations were used to make the Massacre Mansion even bigger and scarier!
Haunted Trail
The Trail of Terror is a winding path through the forest. As you walk along, spooky surprises jump out at you. It's a fun way to get scared in the dark woods!
Hayride and Zombie Invasion
The original haunted hayride was changed into something new. It became the Zombie Invasion! On this ride, you get to shoot paintballs from a "war wagon." You aim at zombies as you ride along. In 2022, the Zombie Invasion took a break. It was too expensive to run. So, it went back to being a family-friendly scenic hayride.
Paranormal Investigation
In 2023, Spider Hill added a new experience. They teamed up with Enlightened Souls Paranormal. This group helps people investigate ghosts! Visitors could join a paranormal investigation of an old building in the park. Tickets for this special ghost-hunting experience were $45 in 2023.
