As legend tells it, 131 years ago Hezekiah Jones went on a murderous rampage, stalking his victims by night on the banks of the Trinity River and then hanging them by the neck. Hundreds died at the mercy of his bloodstained rope.

One October night in 1822, the Hangman’s fate caught up with him, as an angry mob hung him by the neck with his own rope. The Hangman’s dead body was left hanging from the tree until the gravedigger could come retrieve it the next morning, but when the gravedigger arrived there was nothing left but the tattered remains of a broken rope…

After 25 years of scaring the city of Fort Worth, Hangman’s House of Horrors will be closing its doors for good after this Halloween season.

“Hanging up the noose has been a tremendously difficult, very emotional decision for me,” said D’Ann Dagen, Hangman’s founder and producer. “Hangman’s has had an incredible run and benefited our community more than I would have ever dared to dream.

“We have donated almost $2 million to local charities, entertained over half a million patrons, and been a creative and nurturing haven for thousands of extraordinary volunteers,” she said

Over its 25 years, Hangman’s has donated its profits to charities like The American Cancer Society, A Wish With Wings, the Cenikor Foundation, Rocky Top Therapy Center and SafeHaven of Tarrant County, landing them the coveted title of the number one charity-benefiting haunted house in the world.

Located at Interstate 30 and Forest Park Blvd, Hangman’s has been featured on Travel Channel’s “America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions,” won a spot on the list of  “Halloween Hot Spots” by Family Circus Magazine and has been ranked as the number one haunted attraction in the area by the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

“I go to as many haunted houses as I can each year and Hangman’s is one of my favorites,” 109 resident, Karis Stiles said. “It was the first haunted house I ever went to when I was 16 and I have gone pretty much every year since. I am hoping to make it up there before they close their doors for the final time.”

Hangman’s House of Horrors prides itself as “a family-oriented ‘haunted funhouse’ that specializes in disorienting, playful scares,” according to its website. This year’s theme is “Unhappily Ever After…The End” which features three attractions for one price:

·      Hangman’s House of Horrors: A retelling of the classic tales with a dark twist.

·      3-D Wonderland: Playing off of the classic story of Alice in Wonderland, Hangman’s takes you down the rabbit hole.

·      Outbreak!: Hangman’s newest attraction featuring a zombie infestation.

But that’s not all Hangman’s has to offer. Utilizing the full three acres of property, Hangman’s also has live bands, food trucks, free photos and other festival activities.

“Hangman’s was a well run ‘mom and pop’ type haunted house that played a major role in scaring the crap out of thousands of Fort Worth citizens,” patron Thomas Davis said. “After they close, nobody will have a place to go for their Halloween scare.”

“From a young age, Hangman’s became a tradition for my neighbors and I,” patron Madison Scott said. “Even though the neighborhood kids and I started to grow up and go our separate ways, we would always make time for each other once a year to go to our favorite haunted house.”

“Hangman’s will be missed by my neighbors and I but we will cherish the many years and screams we shared there together, she said”

Hangman’s House of Horrors will be celebrating its 25 Anniversary and final season each night until Nov. 2. For hours of operation, ticket pricing and other information visit Hangman’s House of Horrors website.

…They say the Hangman uses the souls of his victims to keep himself alive. One soul for one year of life, he will continue to live until the last of his souls are gone.

According to the Hangman’s legend, this year marks the final soul left on the Hangman’s rope. The banks of the Trinity River may finally be rid of the horrid Hangman’s curse, unless of course, he strikes again…