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West Virginia is home to some of the most stunning and untamed terrain on the East Coast, making it a year-round haven for outdoor adventure. Playgrounds for caving, hiking, rock climbing, camping, white boating, water rafting, and fishing may be found in its untamed mountain terrain, heavily wooded wilderness regions, and swift rivers.
The state is known for its wonderful ski resorts that provide a diversity of exciting snow sports in the winter. Active travelers will never run out of things to do in this magnificent state. While many visitors come to the state for these outdoor pursuits and picturesque landscapes, West Virginia actually has a lot more to offer in terms of tourist attractions, from the historic sites of Harpers Ferry and the elegant Greenbrier and its famous golf courses to some very unusual attractions, like a penitentiary or a haunted park tour.
Lake Shawnee Amusement Park is rated as one of the most terrifying places in America by the Travel Channel and one of the 10 most haunted places in the world, according to ABC. The park offers tours during October — an adventure thrill-seekers can't miss.
All You Need To Know About The Intriguing Lake Shawnee Amusement Park
The majority of people believe that Lake Shawnee Amusement Park was damaged long before local businessman Conley Snidow started construction on the round swing.
Anyone familiar with the region would tell visitors that the green field should not have been used as a carnival. However, looking back, most things appear clear.
Snidow had no notion that the land had seen decades of terrible upheaval when he bought it in the 1920s.
The turbulent history of Lake Shawnee dates back to the 18th century. Mitchell Clay moved his small family to the West in the late 1700s. They started a farm on 800 acres and reared 14 children. In 1783, tragedy befell the Clay family.
While Mitchell was out hunting, a Native American group kidnapped two of the kids. Ezekiel, one of the youngsters they abducted, was later burned alive at the stake.
Clay returned fire. He hunted down many Native Americans and murdered them with the aid of other settlers.
The damaged farm was not the same after that. Not until the 1920s did the Clay property begin to get significant attention.
At that point, Snidow showed up with his rides and amusements, including a speakeasy, a dance hall, a water slide, and circular swings.
A pond with a bathing hole and boats were also added by him. Things started to go bad at some point.
Fans of Lake Shawnee are well aware of the facts: a child drowned in the pond and a young girl perished on the swings.
Over the short existence of the amusement park, around six guests have passed away. The attraction was shut down in 1966.
The colorful rides in red, green, and turquoise gradually faded and flaked. They quickly gave up on the restless undergrowth with their rusted bones.
The White family made the choice not to defy destiny. They did not build communal lots; they just left the rides and the cemetery alone, keeping Lake Shawnee a genuine Mercer County attraction.
For years, paranormal investigators and ghost hunters have been drawn to the deserted amusement park. Visitors have reported hearing children, eerie chanting, and footsteps.
Sometimes, a swing will move independently. Someone once became stuck inside a run-down ticket booth, despite the fact that the doors do not lock.
Dare To Take Exceptional Tours
Are the ghosts of Lake Shawnee real? Tourists now can make their own judgments.
Despite being on private land, there are recurring paranormal excursions all year long. Usually, visitors may also come to a private agreement with the proprietors for a visit by just giving them a call before leaving for the visit.
Alternatively, tourists are recommended to go during the Dark Carnival in October. They will get there at nightfall, right when the skeletal trees and creaking rides start to take on shadows.
People who have been to the park during its operating hours or who have had weird encounters of their own share their Lake Shawnee tales, provide tours, and start a bonfire.
There is also a spooky clown-filled corn maze with a ghost route through it. If attendees dare, they can even set up camp.
Dark Carnival Tickets And Dates
Dark Carnival is held every Friday and Saturday night in October! Visitors can attend a special Halloween weekend that lasts for four days straight from Friday to Monday and buy the ticket that suits the experience they want to live.
A Slaughterhouse ticket gives them access to the Slaughterhouse Haunt in Lake Shawnee. People will experience the Slaughterhouse 2022 and wander through a spooky haunted maze.
Do visitors have the courage to enter?
Advertised poster prices start at $22; fees appear to apply to online ticket purchases.
- Dark Carnival Slaughterhouse Ticket: Starts at $22
A Photo and History ticket to the Lake Shawnee tour is also available. People will explore the deserted amusement park on a guided or unguided tour.
They may learn about the park's past, visit its oldest rides up close, and enjoy other activities like campfire storytelling.
- Dark Carnival Photo and History Tickets: Starts at $27
A combo ticket allows entry to both the Photo and History tour as well as the Slaughterhouse Haunt. Visitors get access to both attractions for a more rewarding experience.
- Combo Ticket: Starts at $45
The Ultimate Experience ticket gives access to the overnight experience, the Photo and History tour, as well as the Slaughterhouse Haunt.
Event attendees can stay overnight and enjoy the attractions for the best possible event experience!
- Price: $105.45