A&E | Halloween
To scare or be scared at Haunt 31
Toby Wrolson turns his home into a scare By Cam Molbeck
I
t is a seemingly peaceful weekend night on South Annandale Drive during the spooky season of Halloween. But down the street, shrieks of fright and the clicking of animatronics activating fill the cold air. The popular homemade haunted house, Haunt 31, is a hopping place and an attraction for both locals and people from out of state. At the heart of it all is Toby Wrolson and his family. It all started back in 2000. The family had moved in in 1999 and then started building. The Halloween attraction began gaining attention in 2002.
I think it’s just seeing it all come together and how it fits.
Toby Wrolson
“The first couple props were button-powered, and when I saw my wife crawling across the floors that she could hit the button and scare people I’m like ‘we’re hooked,’” Wrolson said. Over the past 21 years, Wrolson has spent around $90,000, as well as the additional yearly costs of storage, prop building, repairs, shipping, and food for volunteers. Every year, anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 is spent, which means donations are a big part of keeping Haunt 31 alive. Wrolson also makes the animatronics and helps to build the haunted house at Goebbert’s Farm, as well as Haunt 31 and his job. While some of the props are static, the biggest features are the animatronics. Even some of the headstones rock or leak blood. One has a ghoulish creature leaping out from behind it. Using donated scrap material or even garbage, Wrolson has managed to create a haunted wonderland. OCTOBER 29 ISSUE 2021
Some of the biggest animatronics include Fluffy, the large were-dog that leaps out at you when you pass him, as if the “beware of dog” signs are not enough. One of the newer features of the year include a largerthan-life size skeleton that looms over the entire yard, with animated eyes that blink and shift. The garage also turns into a spooky experience, enveloped in green swamp lighting and a dungeon side of horror. Not scary enough? Volunteers dress up as spooky creatures such as clowns and walk around, scaring the unsuspecting passersby. They hide in the garage, feigning to be a statue, as well as the exit box as a mummy, so watch your back! From the beginning of September through November, the bustle of Haunt 31 is constant. “So September, almost from the first day, is bringing stuff home and setting up and then October is a show every single night whether it’s ‘why isn’t this working’ or ‘we’re setting up,’” Wrolson said. At the peak of Halloween, hundreds of people are floating around the area. Some nights, local police officers will stop by just to keep watch
The Wrolson’s have a cauldron that is topped by a giant spider.
C. Molbeck
A skeleton located in the Wrolson’s front yard. and enjoy the environment. Many of the people who live in the neighborhood are also big fans of Wrolson’s work. The volunteers are all individuals whom Wrolson knows or lives close by. One of them includes a girl living across the street and even some high school students looking for something fun to get into the Halloween spirit.
October is a show every single night.
Toby Wrolson
“I think it’s just seeing it all come together and how it fits.” Wrolson said. November is the time where Wrolson needs the most help. Just coming down on a Saturday to help rake leaves is just as good as anything else. So even after the spooky buzz has died down, if you wish to support this local haunted attraction, November is the best time to do so. If haunts and spooks are your things, then Haunt 31 is definitely the place for you. Be sure to catch it before the Halloween season is over. Wrolson works very hard to make this haunted house the best it can be; all visitors are welcomed by the family who make this attraction their life for a few months.
C. Molbeck
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