Hermanstein haunted house returns Oct. 16
Published 1:19 pm Monday, October 12, 2026
Hermanstein haunted house will open Oct. 16, 17, 23 and 24 at the Legion hall in Herman with a “Backwoods Slaughterhouse” theme.
Hours are 7 to 11 p.m., and admission is $10. Card payments will be accepted for the first time this year. Children younger than 13 must be accompanied by an adult, co-owner LJ Hawkins said.
Hawkins and his brother, Kevin Hawkins, own the attraction, which opened six years ago. A core team of about six people puts on the event. “We first opened six years ago with the vision of one day becoming Washington County’s premier haunted attraction,” Hawkins said. “Since we’ve opened, we’ve slowly been building this from the ground up.”
Each year, the team has about a week to set everything up and another week to tear it down. “The goal is to one day have our own building so we don’t have to do that!” Hawkins said.
All ticket proceeds go toward the following year’s attraction. This year, the team replaced tarps and canopies with walls and hallways. “We’ve taken steps this year to ensure the best experience for our customers,” Hawkins said. “We got rid of the tarps and canopies for actual walls and hallways for a much more authentic look and feel.”
Hawkins said the team has spent more than in any previous year on new props, animatronics and costumes. Insurance alone for the four nights cost about $1,200.
“In the end, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears goes into this (literally), and we just want nothing more than to see a long line every night!” he said.
