From a 169-yr-old haunted castle to the notorious Sallie House, HGTV set for its scariest show yet
DAYTON, OHIO: With Halloween right around the corner, HGTV is set to debut its first season of ‘Scariest House in America,’ hosted by comedian Marietta Sangai Sirleaf, popularly known as Retta. The 54-year-old home design enthusiast will explore nine spine-chilling houses across the South, Northeast, and Midwest regions of America. Throughout her explorations, Retta will candidly share her thoughts on each eerie location, with the 'scariest' house receiving a remarkable $150,000 renovation by designer Alison Victoria in a one-hour season finale.
The season will also feature three spooky half-hour episodes showcasing haunted sites that include a former jail teeming with bats, an alleged hideout for mobsters, and a crumbling home that gives off witchy vibes. The show will also explore bizarre features such as built-in death traps, unsettling taxidermy, creepy basements, and even some ghostly encounters. Here are the top 5 scariest places in America that could potentially feature in Retta's spooky explorations.
Retta to explore a haunted house in Dayton in ‘Scariest House in America
A home in the Dayton area is set to be part of Retta's explorations. In this episode, the TV personality will delve into three 'scary' homes located in the Midwest. According to a press release from HGTV, the episode will feature a haunted house decorated with eerie decor, a ghost-infested home with a terrifying basement, and a church surrounded by graves. The church in the Dayton area is expected to be featured in this episode.
The private home that Retta tours is a former church in Harrison Township, owned for six years by friends Jess and Brandon, as reported by the Dayton Daily News. Built-in 1885, the church sat vacant for many years before its revival. The episode will highlight the building's basement, where Sunday School classes were once held. Although there is a kitchen in the basement, Jess decided to create an alternative version of the kitchen upstairs due to the spooky ambiance. In a lighthearted moment, Retta jokingly refers to the building as having “kill room after kill room” and dubs it the “Highway House the Lord Left.”
A 169-year-old home in Missouri will kick off ‘Scariest House in America'
In the episode 'The Midwest Gets Mysterious,' a 169-year-old home in Brumley, Missouri, will be featured as one of the scariest houses in America. Known as the Haunted Castle House, this 2,000-square-foot property is owned by Judy and Steve Skinner. Built in 1855, the home includes four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a backyard graveyard. The Haunted Castle House has previously featured on television on the Travel Channel's 'The Dead Files' in 2017 and Dan Aykroyd's 'Hotel Paranormal' in 2021. The Brumley home will compete with three other houses in the episode, located in Atchison, Kansas, and Dayton, Ohio, for a $150,000 renovation.
Will the Sallie House be a part of Retta's investigation?
Located in Atchison, Kansas, the Sallie House, one of the most haunted houses in America, is expected to be included in Retta's investigation. The house dates back to the mid-1800s and is rumored to be haunted by a little girl named Sallie. However, this appears to be a facade for a more sinister, demonic presence. Interestingly, while Sallie is believed to haunt the house, she never actually lived there. She died after a failed operation for appendicitis, according to Kansas Tourism. The house has been vacant since the 1990s.
The Conjuring House is one of the scariest homes in America
The Conjuring House, located in Burrillville, Rhode Island, is undeniably one of the scariest locations in America. Its chilling real-life story makes it a likely candidate for inclusion on the show. In 1971, when the Perron family moved into the house, they started to notice strange occurrences. From the sound of something scraping against a kettle in the kitchen to spirits walking through the house, eerie activity was constant. It is believed that the house was cursed by either a Satanist or a witch. Although the Perron family moved out in the 1980s, the site remains open for visits.
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The haunted LaLaurie Mansion has a chilling past
Another spooky house that could be featured on ‘Scariest House in America’ is the LaLaurie Mansion. Its chilling past documents the torture of enslaved people at the hands of Madame Delphine LaLaurie. In 1834, a fire broke out in the mansion, leading to the horrific discovery. However, LaLaurie fled New Orleans and never faced justice for her actions. The mansion is now believed to be haunted, particularly by the spirits of those who were enslaved. Reports of paranormal activity have emerged from the location. While access inside is restricted, ghost tours are conducted on the sidewalks outside.
‘Scariest House in America’ premieres on Friday, October 4, at 9 pm ET.