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2010


December 24, 2010
As a special holiday treat, enjoy a vintage photo of the Ocean City Inlet from October of 1965 featuring Trimper's Haunted House which was only a year old at the time! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December 23, 2010
I wanted to let you all know that a while back I had a great conversation with Manfred Bass, a retired float designer for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade who worked for Bill Tracy in the 1960s. Manfred hand-drew the facade concept drawing for Trimper's Haunted House as well as sculpted many of Tracy's most famous gags. Manfred's specialty was sculpting animals, such as elephants for Tracy's Jungle Land rides as well as designing facades for some of Tracy's western-themed rides. Although Bass was not involved with the installation of Trimper's Haunted House in 1964, he was involved with the installation of Jungle Land at Hershey Park and many attractions in New England. Stay tuned for more about Manfred Bass and his time with Outdoor Dimensional Displacy Co., Inc. on The Bill Tracy Project.

December 19, 2010
Check out a gallery taken in October of this year of the current state of the Headslinger sitting behind one of the Trimper storage facilities.

Headslinger was an original Tracy stunt and was removed about a decade ago to make room for newer stunts. Being that it was one of the first original pieces to be removed, the Trimpers opted not to throw it away, but rather hold on to it. Unfortunately, a decade of harsh weather near the ocean has deteriorated the majority of what was once one of Tracy's greatest works. The body has recently detached itself from the staircase and is now lying in the grass. Although there have been conversations of restoring the stunt and re-installing it back in the ride, the chances of a successful restoration are dimensioning as time and weather wear on the stunt.

Let's hope for the best for this poor guy! Special thanks to Mike Brilhart for supplying the photos.

December 18, 2010
Bad news from the second floor of Trimper's Haunted House. The Reaching Bale Character, installed in 2006, appears to be permanently damaged and is "stuck" in its forward reaching position. Furthermore, the majority of his foam-filled fingers have been ripped off by riders. The bad news is that the character has been discontinued by the manufacturer according to management, and there doesn't seem to be a fix. What will the future hold for this character?

December 15, 2010
Let's go off the beaten path for a moment for a little OC history. Several years back, the Trimpers purchased a vintage motel on Rt.50 called The Sea Isle in order to house workers during the summer. Little do many folks know that The Sea Isle has been a staple of Rt. 50 since the mid 1950s and was one of the first "local" motels along the road originally owned by Mr. Albert Childson.

Check out an aerial photo from 1957 of Rt. 50 looking east showing a barren land with only The Sea Isle and a few small buildings visible on the right. Also, enjoy a vintage ad also from 1957 advertising The Sea Isle and all of its amenities including "baby sitters" and air. With the exception of a few small updates to building, the entire complex looks roughly the same today as it did over 50 years ago.

December 9, 2010
Currently, it is likely that Trimper's Haunted House was Tracy's first use of a Hush-Puppy ride system in one of his projects as research shows no other previous examples before 1964. However, KD Enterprises was at work prior developing and installing ride systems in other attractions.

The "Coffin Car" used in Trimper's Haunted House has always been thought of as a one-of-a-kind application with a truly unique car body, but that has recently changed thanks to a discovery by Wayne Bahur, Principal Partner and Founder of The Bill Tracy Project.

In 1963, an attraction called "Lost Dutchman Mine" made its debut at Legend City in Phoenix, Arizona and included a Hush-Puppy ride system with a very familiar car body. Check out this view of the front of the mine-themes cars, and this view of the rear of the car. My friends, this is a Haunted House car body without the applied ornate decorations, somewhat of a prototype of the masterpiece to be designed only one year later!

December 3, 2010
If anyone is down OC around the inlet and wondering why the Tidal Wave is being partially disassembled, don’t be alarmed. It’s NOT being removed from the park. Crews are simply refurbishing and conducting routine maintenance on the top third of the train lift. Look forward to a fully-functioning Tidal Wave Roller Coaster next year! Check out a gallery of the progress.

November 29, 2010
Did you know?

When Bill Tracy originally painted the stunts in Trimper's Haunted House, as well as many of his other classics, he would first paint the entire stunt with a high-hiding white paint so the fluorescent paint used would glow brighter. If you look closely at many stunts, you can see evidence of white paint underneath the original fluorescent colors, such as the Knit Wit and Rat. Cool, huh?

November 24, 2010
Speacial thanks to Mike from the forum, transcripts of the Lobby Barker sound effects have just been added to the site. Thanks Mike!

November 22, 2010
I just completed another model attempt; the Skull Banister in the first room. It is built to scale, and painted to resemble the way the stunt originally looked before it was arbitrarily "touched up" a few years back. Check out the gallery!

November 19, 2010
Will you be down OC for Thanksgiving? If so, be sure to stop by Trimper’s Haunted House for its final weekend open until next spring! THH will be opening at 12pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during Thanksgiving weekend! Hope you can make it down for a final ride!

November 13, 2010
I Miss Bill Tracy's Way...

Ok folks. I just wanted to take a minute and talk about... well... Bill Tracy's way. In terms of the Haunted House, as well as the rest of his attractions, he designed them in such a way so that each individual stunt was an experience. For that experience, he would expose the rider to a split second of sound and a visual. Past that split second, it was up to the rider to complete the "story" in order to round out the complete riding experience. As such, Tracy was a fan of separating his stunts with ample "black space" in between each experience. Tracy was NOT a fan of clutter, for lack of a better expression. And, he was sure not to provide too many experiences in a single instance so the rider could absorb his artistry without distractions.

Nowadays, it seems that many dark rides have become cluttered with too many consecutive "experiences" without a chance for the rider to fully absorb what they have just witnessed. Simple breaks, mostly comprised of sections of wall painted black or several feet of dead space, are needed to make a dark ride effective. That was Tracy's way, and I am confident in saying that many enthusiasts miss this dark ride philosophy.

Gosh, I sure miss Bill Tracy's way.

November 9, 2010
Did you know?

Before the 1988 second story addition to the ride, there was a stand-alone ticket booth in front of the ride where customers could by tickets. When the lobby was redesigned, Granville Trimper found room for the ticket booth that we see today, but until recently the whereabouts of the original ticket booth have been unknown. Haunted House manager Scott Hudson may have located it, and he believes it is a Tracy-original piece. Stay tuned for updates regarding this cool find.

October 31, 2010
Happy Halloween! In celebration of the two-year anniversary of The Bill Tracy Project, we are releasing our feature presentation.

Introducing: The 40th Anniversary of Whacky Shack at Waldameer Park

October 26, 2010
Sad news from the second floor of Trimper's Haunted House! The Reaching Bale Character, which was installed in 2006, is aparently damaged and is stuck in his forward reaching position! Management has not been able to fix him to go back to his "home" position as of yet. Sadly, the effect is no longer being produced by Scare Parts.

On a different note, a new body has arrived for BOLT to be replaced next summer. Unfortunately, a summer of thrashing has torn an non-repairable hole in the body's neck.

Stay tuned for updates regarding these two iconic stunts!

October 24, 2010
I finally got around to taking some halfway-decent photos of the Hush-Puppy model! Check them out! Also, I would suggest keeping an eye out on The Bill Tracy Project around Halloween for our two-year anniversary feature presentation! It is guarenteed to be truly WhAcKy!

October 23, 2010
Did you know?

In 1997, the famous Mermaid stunt on the second floor, built by Bill Tracy, experienced a small electrical fire and set off some of the ride's sprinkler systems. Scott Hudson, Haunted House manager, specifically remembers how crews covered the then two-year-old Count Wolf Von Vinderstein animatronic stunt in the lobby with plastic so it would not get damaged. There was no major damage to the Mermaid or its diorama, but it certainly shook up Haunted House patrons for a brief time.

October 21, 2010
Check out another newly-found advertisement for Ocean Playland from 1966! And if you haven't already done so, become a fan of defunct Ocean Playland Amusement Park on Facebook!

October 19, 2010
Just when you don't think you can get any luckier with research, people, and yes, photos, come crawling out of the woodwork to truly make your day! I would like to present a vintage image of the facade and lobby of Trimper's Haunted House from 1976, only 12 years after the attraction was first built by Bill Tracy in 1964. The colors are vivid, the wood is fresh, and my smile is ENORMOUS! Check out the exit door on the right side of the lobby! A huge thanks goes out to Gerry Uhlan for supplying the photo and to Mike Brilhart for his assistance with tracking it down. Amazing!


October 18, 2010
Did you know?

Before the 1988 expansion of Trimper's Haunted House, the façade bat was mounted on the right-hand wall in the first room when it was removed from its "star" during the winter. After the addition was complete, it only made sense to relocate its winter hiding spot to the second floor near the Leaper.

October 12, 2010
This is your chance to own a piece of OC Amusement Park history! The Matterhorn ride, which was retired last year from Trimper's down on the boardwalk, is now for sale on eBay. At least, the cars are. The ride was introduced to the public in the mid 60s! Cars are currently located in a warehouse in Berlin, Maryland. Check it out!

October 10, 2010
Good news! Official OCHH.net T-shirts are back in stock in the store. A limited quantity and sizes are available so get them while they last!

October 4, 2010
As if Trimper's Haunted House isn't already creepy enough, check out this decades-old wheelchair that was randomly tucked away in a corner for the summer. Now that's scary.


September 27, 2010
If you all get a chance, you may want to visit the Winchester Mystery House located in San Jose, California. The house was an actual residence that was under continuous construction for 38 years (and there is of course a long story that goes with this), but the home resembles some of Bill Tracy's work and yes, Trimper's Haunted House; the facade, rooms that have staircases that lead nowhere, hallways the end abruptly, and an overall bizarre layout. A really interesting place, and an even more interesting story.

September 25, 2010
Has anyone ever taken a close up look at the primitive mechanism that makes the car rock back and forth in the Wavey Room? Well, it's pretty genius.

The center track is elevated slightly with two 2X8s, and the curved portion of the track that the tire rides on is nothing more than five 2x8s bolted together and all cut with the same contour. Where the contour is elevated on one side, it dips on the other giving riders that famous seasick feeling. Ahh, Tracy's tricks never cease to amaze.


September 22, 2010
Trimper's Haunted House Online (www.ochh.net) is three-years old today! Happy Birthday to you!

September 20, 2010
It certainly is interesting how Tracy managed to pull off the "Upside-Down Room" stunt. Check out an up close photo of one of the windows and curtains. You can clearly see the drips of the acetone-based solvent and paste on the sill of the window from when the fabric curtains were originally dipped and hung to dry. After drying right-side up, the fabric became rock hard, and allowed them to be hung upside-down without losing their shape!

September 15, 2010
Stay up-to-date with the Haunted House signals, bell system, breaker system, and flashes! This document is only one of many affixed to the walls inside the attraction to remind workers!

September 10, 2010
I wanted to save this cool update for you all to enjoy over the weekend. Enjoy a few "up close" galleries that I was able to shoot over the summer that show incredible detail and rare views of some of Bill Tracy's most famous stunts inside the attraction. Check them out: Upside-Down Room, Old Mill, Knit Wit, Last Drop, and Birthday Party. Enjoy!

September 9, 2010
Nothing went to waste when the Trimpers merged Ocean Playland's Ghost Ship with the Haunted House back in 1988. In fact, Tracy's plywood cutouts painted to look like seaweed at one time adorned the top of the loading area at Ghost Ship and are now used as wall scenery on the second floor of the attraction. Believe it or not, the plywood cutout above the shark painting in the Haunted House can actually be identified in the Ghost Ship image below. Can you find it?


September 8, 2010
Good news! The V.P. Productions animatronic gargoyle plaque entitled "The Guardian" that adorns the wall above the entrance to the ride is finally back to working after being out of commission for a few weeks. Crews disassembled the unit and cleaned it, causing it to work perfectly after about a year of slowly losing steam. As one of the lobby's coolest features, it's good to see the prop once again working!

September 6, 2010
There is no doubt it's Labor Day 2010 at Trimper's Haunted House! As part of annual tradition, colored balloons are tied to the coffin cars to celebrate the holiday and the end of another successful summer!


September 4, 2010
Needless to say, OC dodged a bullet with Hurricane Earl, and besides some minor beach erosion, there was no damage and no injuries. Let's hope we have similar luck for the remainder of the hurricane season.

For your viewing pleasure, I uploaded a bunch of classic miscellaneous amusement ads from the 1960s onto the Flickr site! Some are dark ride related, and others are from pioneers like Allan Herschell, Chance, Lusse Bros., Eli Bridge Company, and Hrubetz! Check out the set and be sure to browse through the rest of our official Flickr photo galleries!

September 2, 2010
Under the gun...

A hurricane watch has been issued for Ocean City, Maryland in preparation for Earl's passing. Read more.

August 31, 2010
Did you know?

The original authentic speaker for the Old Mill stunt, original from Tracy's 1964 installation, is still sitting under the scene. Back in the day, this speaker would play the sound of the damsel in distress being cut in half! The speaker has long been disconnected and a more modern speaker has been put in its place for the stunt's sound effects.


August 29, 2010
Storms are brewing.

Yes, the Atlantic is swarming with storm systems as we approach the height of the hurricane season. And, as we think back to the storm of 1933 that ripped a hole in the middle of OC, which is now the inlet, all we can do is hope the pending storms take tracks far out to sea. However, it appears that models are predicting Tropical Storm Earl, which is expected to become a hurricane later today, will possibly hit our coast. On its tail is another tropical system that is expected to follow a similar path.

Without a doubt, the Trimpers are monitoring the systems in the event they become too close for comfort. So, what happens if they suspect it will hit the coast? Well, in previous years, rides were completely taken down, especially the ones that can topple over, including the Ferris Wheel. Just think back to when the Ferris Wheel toppled during the storm of 1962! A lot of signage and awnings will be removed, as well as trash cans and "loose" items. The Haunted House facade bat will probably be taken inside of the building, and depending on how terrible a storm might be, it's possible that some of the kiddie rides in the Carousel House may be dismantled and moved inland.

It's not a matter of if another devastating storm will hit OC, but a matter of when. And, because of the fragile strip of land that OC is, it may or may not change the landscape and the way we know OC forever. Let's keep an eye on Tropical Storm Earl this week to keep taps of its path.

August 28, 2010
Anyone need a hand? If you do, there seems to be an extra one lying on a shelf in the compressor room. Question is, what Haunted House character did this hand belong to at one time?


August 26, 2010
Good news! The Hush-Puppy Coffin Car Model is now complete. Check out completed images in the gallery.

August 23, 2010
I woke up early on Saturday morning with a bug up my ass to build a model. So, I chose the Coffin Hush-Puppy car at Trimper's Haunted House. Two days and about $75 later, I have a finished product, except for paint. Stay tuned for images of the finished product later this week, but in the mean time, check out the progress. Funny thing is, I had the original concept drawings and measurements from this car to work with! On a sad note, yesterday was Bill Tracy's day of passing in 1974, a sad day for all! RIP Bill.

August 21, 2010
Happy Saturday to all of my foolish mortals out there. I wanted to give you all an update on the Flying Bat at bat hill inside the ride. Earlier this summer, some senior-weeker pulled his left wing completely off. The wing is currently sitting in the compressor room, and there is talk that the Bat will be completely refurbished this winter, possibly starting from scratch! I will keep you in the loop on this.

In other news, The Guardian, the animatronic knocker-style stunt from V.P. Productions that adorns the wall above the entrance door, has been out of commission for some time as the electronics and pneumatics inside to make it operate are damaged. The management is in the process of getting it back in working order as soon as possible. Stay tuned!


August 20, 2010
If you look up in the lobby, you'll notice that things are... well... looking up.

Remember last year how water backed up on the balcony and came through the lobby ceiling leaving an ugly area? Well, it was recently completely replaced and repainted! Check it out!

August 19, 2010
I would like to introduce a brand new featured called Off The Beaten Path where you can explore rare views of inside Trimper's Haunted House that are impossible to see while you are riding, including the trap door from the June 23, 2010 update. Enjoy!

August 18, 2010
Although the new BOLT stunt faced a mishap recently as his neck ripped from constant use, the management temporarily fixed it with a collar until they are able to order a new latex foam-filled body. Check it out!

August 17, 2010
Good news! A brand new state-of-the-art monitoring system has been installed in the Haunted House.

The system, manufactured by Night Owl, includes four CCD night vision cameras, LCD video monitor, and a 500 GB hard drive for recording. Although only four cameras are installed currently, the system is expandable to eight, and has the potential to be hooked to a network for broadcasting over the internet (yes, I am excited about this and we may work on this concept during the winter). We have all agreed this should have been done years ago as it allows workers to station themselves in the main shop and watch the hills of the ride for problematic cars, or for vandals.

The original set of cameras, watched by the park secretary in the main office, is still in place for monitoring areas of the ride that this system does not cover. A wise investment for a spectacular attraction!


August 16, 2010
Well folks, I have so many incredible updates on Trimper's Haunted House that it will probably take me weeks to get them out, but let's start with the most fascinating!

A major paint job is under way for the façade of the ride, and it's just about complete! For the first time in nearly 22 years, the entire front of the building was repainted throughout the summer. Although crews still have a little bit to finish, I must say that I am impressed with the dedication and work put in to this project, especially during the summer. Areas that still need to be painted are the peak and some of the shingles, and "aging" of the paint will help give the façade an ancestral look after preliminary painting is finished. I don't think I'm alone in saying that this summer has by far been the best for The Haunted House in terms of maintenance and care. Two brand new effects, fresh paint, and best of all, a smooth-running ride!

Enjoy viewing a complete gallery of the façade progress, and stay tuned this week for some awesome new images and stories.

August 13, 2010
A Barrel of Laughs...

The Revolving Barrel in the third room of Trimper's Haunted House is original to the 1964 installation and was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, with the exception of the orange and green rock formations that dress up the inside of the barrel. Bill Tracy from Outdoor Dimensional Display Co., Inc. was responsible for completing the barrel with any "bells and whistles."

Coincidentally, the train tunnel was the rotating barrel at Ghost Ship in defunct Ocean Playland Amusement Park, which the Trimpers purchased in 1981 to expand the Haunted House in 1988. At first glance, both barrels appear to be identical in terms of the rock formations, but the two structures are fundamentally different; the Ghost Ship barrel is made of fiberglass and therefore shows very little wear after 45 years of existence, while the original Haunted House barrel's rock formations are made of celastic and papier-mâché, which is why it is rapidly deteriorating. Although the original barrel revolves behind a screen so riders cannot touch it, the extreme temperature fluctuations in the ride from season to season, along with the constant movement, have caused it to fall apart. The Train Tunnel barrel on the other hand looks as good as the day it was installed. Cool, huh?


August 12, 2010
I've seen a lot of Haunted House YouTube fan videos in my time, but this one is quite charming and just downright funny. It also shows the new OCHH.net sign in the lobby! "la la la la la" Check it out!

August 5, 2010
Painting is in progress on the facade of Trimper's Haunted House! All of the black areas, including on both sides of the balcony, have been or will be touched up with a coat of paint, and the exit door of the balcony which is currently a light blue color, will be repainted as well. This is the first time most of the black areas have been touched up since the expansion in 1988, so it's definitely time!

On another note, a brand new wired security system has also been installed in the ride this week to let the management keep an eye on the ride from the main shop. They are located at the two uphills, the downhill, and near the Old Mill. There is also an older set of cameras still in place to monitor other parts of the ride. Currently, only four new cameras are in place, but the system is expandable to eight!

In maintenance news, the brand new Headbanger stunt had to be adjusted as his head was constantly getting stuck backwards. A small incision in the back of his head was all that was needed to secure it looking forward.

Lastly, I am sad to report that the latex body of BOLT, the new stunt that was installed just about a month ago, already needs to be replaced as the head is detaching due to constant use. Management is currently looking into getting a body replacement as there is still plenty of time left this summer for scaring!

August 1, 2010
With all of the recent changes in Trimper's Haunted House, I figured it would be best to create a first-ever Virtual Tour/Photo Gallery of the ride to outline each and every effect in the attraction. Check it out!

July 31, 2010
The Haunted House was recently painted on an awesome piece of art at Trimpers! I’ll bet you can’t guess where it’s at!

July 30, 2010
I am proud to announce that our beloved attraction has recently been exposed nationally in an article entitled “15 Ways to Enjoy Your Summer.” Trimper’s Rides in Ocean City, Maryland was listed as a destination stating “A boardwalk site beloved for its haunted house, vintage park memorabilia, and classic rides like bumper cars.” Cool, huh?

July 30, 2010
View a Tidal Wave roller coaster incident update from Ocean City Today.

July 30, 2010
For all of you OC history buffs out there, check out this awesome advertisement from the August 11, 1962 issue of Amusement Business where 18,500 square feet of the pier is actually being offered for lease! Talk about going way back!

July 29, 2010
Check out a few videos regarding the coaster incident with the Tidal Wave that took place last week. 1, 2, 3

July 29, 2010
I am absolutely honored, delighted, and thrilled to announce that after several years of OCHH.net being on the World Wide Web for all to enjoy, the Haunted House management has decided to help promote it by hanging an awesome sign in the lobby near the loading area specifically for this website. I never imagined that this site, which began with only three pages, would blossom into what it has become. The site is now getting record-breaking traffic from all over the world, and people are actually beginning to understand the ride’s true value and historical significance. A special thanks goes out to all the fans of OCHH.net who visit often, as well as to the Trimper family for keeping this ride alive. Let’s continue to celebrate this attraction for years to come, shall we?

July 26, 2010
It looks like work is being done as we speak to repair the roof of the Tidal Wave station that was damaged as a result of the lift cable when it broke and snapped back the other day. Representatives from the coaster’s manufacturer in Holland are currently on-site. As the Trimpers continue to provide families with a safe environment for having fun, and have a great reputation for doing so, all can be assured the ride will be fixed and safe to ride in due time. Check out some photos from that night thanks to forum member Tom Shutter.


July 23, 2010
As most have probably heard, Trimper’s Tidal Wave coaster was involved in a small accident last night at around 9:30pm. A few kids between the ages of 10 and 15 were transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. The ride is closed until state inspections can take place. Read about it here.

Update: 10pm - Steve Price of the Ocean City Fire Department updates the story on the WBAL - Listen

July 22, 2010
Did you know?

When the Haunted House was first built in 1964, it began operating before all of the bang doors were built and in place. In addition, the original ride only had a total of six sets of bang doors throughout the attraction: two sets at the entrance, the Crooked Corridor, Rotating Barrel, and two sets at the end. Cool, huh?

July 20, 2010
Did you know the wall of the indoor bumper cars at Trimper’s is shared with a wall of the Haunted House? Right on the other side of this wall is the Graveyard. Is this pointless information? Yes! Is it sort of interesting? Of course!


July 19, 2010
Well, the good news is that Head Banger is now installed and functioning. Take a look at the finished product right before the Waterfall. And, the Knit Wit’s spider web appears to have been straightened out after being tangled and twisted for years. Also, some of the timing of stunts, especially the Falling Barrels, has been adjusted to better execute the stunt as the car goes by. The Mummy is alive and well in its new location in the Falling Barrels room, and perhaps most disappointing, there has been a vulgar sticker placed on one of Tracy’s original timbers in the second room. I HOPE an employee removes this like… NOW! In other news, the Rock & Roll ride is up, running, and AWESOME. The lighting package alone on this ride is unbelievable. Go check it out the next time you’re down!

July 15, 2010
The brand new ride “Rock & Roll” has arrived at Trimpers and is currently being assembled. Check out a photo gallery of the progress.

July 14, 2010
The attention to detail is what truly makes Trimper’s Haunted House a masterpiece, especially in the Upside-Down Room. Check out the old lamp that has been hanging upside-down since 1964, unchanged and for the most part, untouched. It’s hard to believe this lamp was probably used in someone’s house prior to its permanent placement in the ride. I’ll give anyone $20 if they can find this exact lamp for sale somewhere! Let’s all check eBay and antique stores…


July 11, 2010
The topic of water slides has come up quite often in the forum recently. Check out a vintage advertisement for the Water Flume from a 1978 issue of Oceana Magazine. During this time, the flume sat at South First Street and Baltimore Avenue in Ocean City, the same land that later housed Trimper’s Tank Battle, and currently a pay-per-hour parking lot. The Trimper’s acquired the Water Flume I believe in the early 80s. The photo below depicts a vintage shot of the corner where the Tidal Wave now sits, and you can see the Water Flume in the background. A Yo-Yo once sat in the spot of Raiders today, and next to it was an Olympic Bob’s.


July 9, 2010
A lot of you have been mentioning the King Cobra coaster that was once on the Jolly Roger grounds in the late 80s. I want to share a great article (PDF) I dug up from the July/August 1987 issue of Ocean City Magazine that goes in depth about the purchase of the Cobra from Europe and its assembly here in the states. It was actually a pretty impressive coaster with a lot of potential. Sadly, it wasn’t around very long, though. The article also mentions the inception of the park’s water slides.

July 7, 2010
Did you know?

The original sound for the Falling Beam was recorded by Granville Trimper himself. It's his voice! “Watch out for the falling beam!” Now isn’t that just awesome?

July 5, 2010
Okay folks, here’s the answer to our current unsolved mystery. The trap door as mentioned in the June 23rd update leads under the building to mounds of sand and the pilings that hold the old portion of the building up off the ground. Currently, there is nothing of any interest down there, but prior to the 1988 addition, the main air compressor for all of the stunts was kept down there buried half-way in the sand. All air hoses were routed back to it, and it was kept there to keep the noise minimal inside of the attraction. Believe it or not, there is enough room under the floor of the old section to crawl around with no problem. Unfortunately though, there are no Tracy treasures to make note of down in the hole, only sand that has not seen the light of day since the early 1900s. Cool, huh?

July 4, 2010
Holy smokes, what a great weekend! My good friend Chris worked diligently prior to the weekend in hopes of getting his new game “Space Balls” open on the boardwalk. Space Balls is located in the slot to the left of the Haunted House on the boardwalk, and we were able to assist with getting it up and running. The game plays off of the Haunted House pretty substantially by using blacklights and fluorescent colors; it looks AWESOME at night. Check out a video of the progress and how it turned out. I would suggest stopping by during your next OC visit to check it out. It’s fun to play, and easy to win! WOW!

In Haunted House news, Bill Tracy’s original 1964 Waterfall effect was completely ripped out early last week because it was rusted out completely and no longer working. The old effect was contracted out to be reformed with new steel in hopes that it would be back in commission by the weekend, and it was! Check out a video of the re-installation process that took place early Saturday before the ride opened!

In more exciting news, the OCHH.net t-shirts for sale on the website are now the official uniform of the Haunted House employees. If you notice them wearing it around the boardwalk this summer, make sure you give them a thumbs up!

Lastly, I re-recorded and re-mastered the Haunted House interior sound, and you can now listen to it in the sounds area. Remember, the interior sound is original to Bill Tracy’s original installation! Plenty more to come this week, some of which will include the answer to a Haunted House unsolved mystery. Stay tuned!

June 29, 2010
No paint, no gain!

Although you may think every square inch of the Haunted House interior is painted black, think again. The ceiling and walls of the Crooked Mine Shaft were left bare, most likely because of the room’s height and the fact that it’s not visible when riding. It’s comforting to see the heavy-duty concrete ceiling and walls and sprinkler system from this view!


June 26, 2010
New ride sounds and more to come!

June 25, 2010
Let’s talk about Bill Tracy for a minute… yeah, let’s.

As you all surely know by now, Tracy used many molds for his stunt designs throughout the years. Check out a face mold that he used during the 1970s for three of his flagship attractions; Trimper’s Pirates Cove, Waldameer’s Pirates Cove, and Waldameer’s Whacky Shack respectively. Spooky, huh?


June 23, 2010
Behind the SCREAMS

Talk about ultimate engineering and construction, take a look at this cool view of underneath the Upside-Down Room! And oddly, I seem to have uncovered a mysterious trap door on the floor of one section under the revolving barrel area. What could be in this door? Bill Tracy’s secret treasure? A passage to the Temple of Doom? Or perhaps original equipment from when the building used to be the Windsor Theatre? Wow!


June 22, 2010
Odds and ends (more odds then ends, of course)

Check out the current condition of the Shivering Mummy, which was vandalized about a week ago by a senior-weeker. The Mummy is now out of commission, and was recently replaced with the new BOLT stunt from Distortions.

A brand new AC unit has been installed over the Torture Chamber to keep the ride cool this summer. The old unit has been broken for about a year or so.

Car #1 is back on the track after being restored during the winter. The entire fleet of cars is set to be completed in the upcoming year.

Trimper’s other two classics, Pirate’s Cove and Aladin’s Lamp, seem to be in great shape this year. Aladin’s Lamp has a freshly-painted façade and genie, and some of the interior walls have either been repainted or have been sanded/primed for repainting. Pirates Cove has received a paint job over Tracy’s original artwork going down the tilted corridor and Tracy’s Alligator in the Swamp Ghost scene is working for the first time in many years as I recall. Both attractions are definitely worth a trip this summer.

I have slightly revamped the Haunted House videos section to include some great pieces from YouTube enthusiasts, including a new Behind-the-Scenes video that I recently completed. Check it out!

June 21, 2010
The next few weeks are going to be filled with crucial updates, but for the time being, I am proud to welcome the newest member to our Haunted House family: BOLT.

BOLT is a Distortions Unlimited product, and consists of a character on a slanted metal table that thrashes wildly while getting electrocuted. Needless to say, I feel BOLT is one of the finest additions to the ride since the Electric Chair was installed around 1995. Check it out! And, check out the Distortions Unlimited product page for this effect. Oh, and while we’re at it, I guess it makes sense to take a final look at the vandalized Shivering Mummy that has resided in this corner for about four years!



June 17, 2010
The wait is finally over! The façade bat has returned with a new paint job and new-and-improved tail!



June 16, 2010
Can we say “BIG UPDATE?” Yes! We can!

Just when I thought I couldn’t get any luckier with my Ghost Ship findings, I received an e-mail with two vintage images of Ocean Playland, one of which includes a color image of Ghost Ship from 1970! A special thanks goes out to John Dotterer and his father, Harold C Dotterer for contributing this great set of images. Click here to see incredible Ghost Ship image! And another!

In other news, enjoy a new feature page dedicated to the Pier in Ocean City, Maryland. I’ll bet you learn something! Check it out!

June 15, 2010
Exciting news from Trimper’s Haunted House! A brand new major effect has arrived and will be installed shortly. Better start planning your trip to OC this summer to experience the spooky new inhabitant of Trimper’s Haunted House! Boo!

June 12, 2010
We certainly haven’t talked about Bill Tracy’s Crab for a while! The Crab stunt came from Ocean Playland’s Ghost Ship and was installed in the Haunted House in 1988 when the second floor was added. Until recently, the only images I had of the Crab were those I had taken in the mid-90’s. Thanks to forum member tomshutter, we now have an additional vintage image of the Crab, as well as several other photos from the 90’s era. Check them out! He was also able to provide a gallery of images of the Ghost Pirates dark ride that once inhabited the Pier where the former Morbid Manor once stood.

June 9, 2010
Please take a moment and join the Facebook fan page for Granville Trimper.
June 6, 2010
Let’s get down to the real nitty-gritty. Check out a new historical timeline feature that breaks down how the ride was incepted, Bill Tracy’s involvement, and the ride’s changes throughout the years. I classify this page as an evolving document, and it will surely change as time progresses. All major ride changes were included in the timeline. Enjoy!


May 31, 2010
Good news! Our friend, Count Wolf Von-Vinderstein, has received a new outfit for the first time in about 15 years. A new cape, bow tie, and pants were installed on the Sally Corp. animatronic right before the start of the holiday weekend. The piece of cloth beneath his head still needs to be painted or replaced, but what an improvement! Learn about the Count!


May 24, 2010
Waldameer Park’s Whacky Shack, also built by Bill Tracy in 1970, turned 40 this past weekend and we celebrated in style thanks to a great event put on by DAFE. The day of fun included ride time on Whacky Shack and Waldameer’s Pirates Cove, and a behind-the-scenes look of both the rides. We also had the opportunity to speak with two folks at the park who worked with Tracy. It was an interesting day to say the least. A plethora of updates will soon follow on this site and The Bill Tracy Project, but in the mean time check out photo galleries of Waldameer’s Whacky Shack and Pirates Cove.

May 16, 2010
It’s great having friends that automatically send me photo messages of Trimper’s Haunted House for no good reason! (They all must think I like the ride or something…) Fresh paint, but still no bat. Let’s see how much longer it takes. In the mean time, join the official Ocean City Boardwalk Facebook page.


May 14, 2010
Lights, Camera, Action!

That’s right folks, Trimper’s Haunted House, specifically Bill Tracy’s Torture Chamber, will indeed be in a movie! Filming just wrapped up in Ocean City at several locations, including Trimper’s Haunted House, Balloon Game, and Red Apple concession stand. The still-unnamed project is a serial drama and will be screened at several American film festivals before its permanent place on the internet as a web-only series. Producers, actors, and technicians spent 12 days in OC shooting. Read the full story here. It’s about time Tracy’s ghastly characters made it in showbiz!


May 8, 2010
Wanna keep an eye on Trimper’s Rides and Amusements year-round? Check out the Inlet Web Cam mounted on Harrison’s Harbor Watch Restaurant overlooking the inlet. The user can actually control what they see! Be sure to toggle over to Pirate’s Cove!


May 7, 2010
Mr. Manfred Bass, the imaginative artist who developed the original concept drawing for the façade of Trimper’s Haunted House in February of 1964, had an incredible knack for capturing horror in Bill Tracy’s attractions and had a natural talent for design. Bass was the head float designer for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade before he retired from the business in 2000 after serving the industry for 41 years. Check out an interesting web article about Manfred Bass, who single-handedly thought up the famous towering Haunted House façade you and I know so well today.

April 30, 2010
Think you love Trimper’s Haunted House? Well, you may have to compete to prove it. Check out Mike Brilhart’s RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 rendering of the Haunted House thus far. Mike, who is a forum moderator here at OCHH.net, has extreme skills in RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, and has started an impressive virtual model of your beloved attraction. Mike is not the first enthusiast to embark on such a project, but his is incredibly accurate! In addition, he is developing the entire OC amusement district in RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 including Trimper’s and Jolly Roger. Check it out!

Also, it was recently discovered that Bill Tracy’s original Head Slinger that once inhabited Hour 13 at Miracle Strip Amusement Park is still in existence, and is almost identical to the Head Slinger that once resided at Trimper’s! Take a look!


May 1, 2010
From one horror nut to another, I recommend everyone go see the new Nightmare on Elm Street movie in a theater near you. Although it has gotten bad reviews, I find it pleasant and interesting. Be sure to enter the cinema with low expectations, and I assure you that they will be met and possibly exceeded!

In other exciting news, please join me in wishing one of my great friends and Quality Control Coordinator of Trimper’s Amusements, Chris Trimper, congratulations on his recent engagement to his longtime girlfriend, Michelle! Best of luck to the both of you!

April 30, 2010
Check out a photo of the new digital message repeater that was recently installed in the Torture Chamber for that stunt’s sound effect. Previously, many sound effects were housed and controlled from the shop in the first room of the ride, but more and more sound repeaters are now localized to each particular stunt.

The unit itself is nothing more than a PVC box with audio outputs and houses a chip containing the sound. The units house their own mini amp, and each unit is plug-and-play. They are purchased through a company called Audio Innovators. Currently, the Torture Chamber, Falling Beam, and Gallows stunts utilize this product for their sound effects.


April 26, 2010
Love defunct Ocean Playland? Good. Me too. Check out a rare full-page ad from the August 4, 1978 issue of Oceana Magazine. Oh yeah, don't forget to become a fan of defunct Ocean Playland on Facebook!

April 21, 2010
All up in Wolfman's grill...

Wolfman was a star feature in the Haunted House in the 80s and 90s, but ever since the Borecon Trolls were installed in his corner, he has been moved from one location to another. The original manufacturer of this trick is unknown, although judging by the look on his face, he seems to be upset about his floating situation in Trimper’s Haunted House.

Check out a picture of Wolfman in his original location back in 1996.


April 17, 2010
Trimpers in the news

I would like to share that the Trimper’s have recently submitted a proposal and had it blessed by the Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission to include two small properties that sit just north of the Freak Out ride lot to the amusement overlay district downtown. What does this mean exactly? Well, it means that in the future if the family wants to expand that small lot to include additional rides and attractions, the legwork will be done and it will be properly zoned to do so.

The two properties are actually owned by different parties. One is owned by the Trimper family, and includes a house and office building (including a barber shop), and the other is owned by Robbie Rosenblit who owns the underage H20 nightclub. Rosenblit will remain the owner of his property for the time being, although he has agreed with the re-zoning.

This is exciting as it may give the Trimper’s more flexibility in years to come as they begin to consolidate their attractions and/or sell off more valuable property. Read the full article in Ocean City Today here. See the area in question below.


April 16, 2010
Behind the SCREAMS

Can anyone guess what this is a picture of? It’s a rare view of the mechanism and back-end of the spinning disc at the end of the rotating barrel in the third room. Pretty radical, huh?


April 13, 2010
For those who are interested in Ocean Playland, the defunct amusement park on 65th street which was home to Tracy’s Ghost Ship, check out this great article from the July 21, 1978 issue of Oceana Magazine. The article outlines the management strategies of the park and features park manager Jack Morningstar who was the boss of over 100 employees during the summer and managed the park’s major attractions, including Ghost Ship, which was later acquired by Granville Trimper for the Haunted House expansion.

April 11, 2010
Check out this old photo of the boardwalk from media coverage of the storm of 1962 which devastated the town of Ocean City. See the garage doors on the far left? That is roughly where the Haunted House is located today. Cool, huh?


April 7, 2010
Painting and restoration continues on the Haunted House. Give these guys a round of applause for keeping our favorite attraction looking great! It’s important to note that the Trimper’s have started to use a high-hiding white paint before they paint the fluorescent orange so that it stays brighter longer. A special thanks to Chris Trimper for supplying the updated photos. Stay tuned for updates!






April 6, 2010
Do you like bright fluorescent orange paint? You’d better, because the Haunted House is receiving its annual treatment on the star and sign. In addition, some of the façade has been touched up for the first time several years. The green planks behind the sign have been repainted with a muted green, as well as the columns. More of the façade will be touched up during down time while crews set up rides in the park. Stay tuned for updates.


April 5, 2010
Hi folks! Happy Easter! My update for this week is almost as plentiful as the sunshine we received this weekend in Ocean City. Here is what you need to know:

The façade bat is currently at the artist’s workshop being refurbished. It just recently received new steel welded around the wing’s perimeter and was altered from Tracy’s original hollow pipe to a solid pipe to prevent rust. The entire prop will soon receive a brand new layer of fiberglass and paint. View a complete gallery of the stunt getting overhauled.

Aladin’s Lamp in the back of the park is slowly being put back together with newly-painted panels. The barrels are installed and the interior corridors are being set up. Check out a picture of the progress.

First there was Morbid Manor, then Morbid Manor II, and now I would like to present Morbid Manor 3-D brand new for this year at Jolly Roger on the Pier. I had the chance to get on the pier to photograph the recent installment of a laminate “sticker” on the entire front of the building. That’s right, this is not paint you are looking at, but a custom-ordered sticker which actually does appear to be 3-D. View the full gallery.

Like diamonds in the rough? Good! I found Tracy’s original steel rotating barrel frame from Ocean Playland’s Ghost Ship. You may remember that when the addition was built in 1988, Ghost Ship’s original rotating barrel was transformed into the current train tunnel inside Trimper’s Haunted House. With the repurposing of the fiberglass rock panels, there was obviously no need for the steel frame. It has been sitting in the woods since Granville Trimper acquired the remnants of Ghost Ship in 1981. Check it out!

There is speculation that crews may begin repainting the façade of the Haunted House this coming week, but I will be sure to keep you all in the loop. In the meantime, please keep Haunted House manager Scott and his family in your prayers. His little boy is scheduled to have heart surgery in the coming week. Best of luck Scott and family!


March 25, 2010
You may ask… how does the Dancing Casket work? It’s simple! The casket sits on a rig with an air-operated pneumatic cylinder that triggers upon activation to move the casket from left to right. You may notice in this photo that the backdrop of the Seasick Pirate was actually salvaged and painted black to serve as the backdrop for this stunt, not to mention the seaweed plywood cutouts from Ocean Playland’s Ghost Ship! It is important to note that the Dancing Casket is bolted to the concrete floor to prevent it from moving.


March 22, 2010
Changes and Updates Abound…

A visit to Ocean City this past weekend proved to be adventurous in terms of discovering the changes in and around the Haunted House, Trimper’s Amusement Park, and Ocean City in general. I will try to keep this short and to the point:

The stone side façade of Pirate’s Cove is receiving a treatment to make the recently-painted fiberglass panels look weathered and more like the original style. The project appears to be only half complete at this time.

The Aladin’s Lamp funhouse is still completely torn apart with only the bare structure showing. The exterior façade is still in the process of being completely overhauled, and damaged steel is getting repaired. In all of my years of documenting changes around the park, this is the first time I have ever seen this attraction so heavily dismantled!

Thus far, no traditional rides have been set up in the park yet as it is still an empty parking lot. They are being prepped at the warehouse to be assembled in the coming weeks. It is intended that a few of the rides will be ready for Easter weekend I believe.

The exterior façade of the Haunted House is still holding strong, minus the “T” which will be replaced for this year.

The façade bat is out being completely overhauled by the park artist and will be looking fresh this summer with new paint!

Cars 1 and 2 are currently out of the attraction being completely overhauled as the rest of the cars have been for the past several years. They will be returned in time for Memorial Day this summer.

The Haunted House lobby floor has been repainted with fresh red paint for this year. Better cherish the picture, though. In only a few months, the floor will once again become a victim of constant wear and tear.

The newly-installed sounds for the Falling Beam and Torture Chamber are still working great. Check out one of the new digital message repeaters installed in the Torture Chamber.

The Rat at the downhill has been slightly repositioned to face the rider as they pass rather than up against the wall. The stunt has been bolted to the floor to prevent riders from ripping it out of the ground.

A skeleton has been placed on the small shelf after the Upside-Down Room to add a little character to the space.

The skeleton that used to inhabit the graveyard area has been moved from the ground and mounted on the wall with a red light casting a glow.

There is still talk of adding an additional stunt this year, although the location is still up in the air. Stay tuned for future updates!

March 19, 2010
Anybody ‘memba the original Birthday Party stunt? Well, there is rumor that the “eye-patch pirate” on the far left was not originally a part of the stunt, but was added when the stunt was moved from Ghost Ship to the Haunted House in 1988. If you look closely, the figure’s hands are positioned as if he is drinking or climbing, and he only has one leg (the right) in the display. What does this mean? It is possible that Tracy’s Ghost Ship had an alternate display that this character occupied, similar to many of the pirate-type stunts in this page from Funchase depicting Pirate Ship Skua on Hunt’s Pier in Wildwood, NJ. Is this fact absolute? Not necessarily. But, it’s something to ponder!


March 15, 2010
Check out a few old images from 1998 of the façade and the Count contributed by forum member Mike Brilhart. The façade looks good and the Count looks young! Enjoy!

March 13, 2010
By now, I know most of us are familiar with Google Maps. But, have you ever explored Bing Maps? With Bing Maps, which is powered by Microsoft, you can not only look at aerial views taken from satellite, but also “Bird’s Eye Views” which were taken by plane. The Bird’s Eye function allows you to look at four angles of a given area, and all images are in fairly high resolution. I decided to check out the Trimper enterprise and was surprised at just how clear the image was. Although it is apparent that the images were shot at least three years ago, they are still incredible. It is clear the Haunted House had just opened on this clear morning! Go to Bing.com to check it out, or click on the image below to enlarge.


March 10, 2010
Trimper's Haunted House was open this past weekend for the first time this season. It will continue to be open on weekends if the weather is nice. If you are planning a trip, it is recommended that you call the main office to make sure the ride will be open. Now is the perfect time to ride! As of now, there is no update on stunt cleaning/refurbishment, or if a new stunt has been purchased. Stay tuned!

March 1, 2010
Well folks, it’s time to let another piece of Trimper nostalgia go. The Toboggan, manufactured by Chance, was retired this winter from the normal ride lineup. The Toboggan was a classic coaster-style ride at the park that debuted in the 1970s and took riders up a 45’ tube straight into the air and then descended via spirals back down to land. Although there were originally over 20 Toboggans running in the country, records show that only two Toboggans are currently left in operation in the country; one at Lakemont Park, and one at Little Amerricka. Trimper’s Toboggan is currently packed up and sitting on the warehouse grounds.


February 21, 2010
Behind the SCREAMS

Take a look at a cool image of the mechanism that makes the Falling Beams fall! As the piston rises, it elevates the hinged platform, making the three barrels appear as if they are falling towards the rider. Two chains are secured on either side of the platform in case that hinge should ever give way. Cool, huh?


February 15, 2010
Well, a visit to OC this past weekend presented a city with a little less snow than we received here in central Maryland, but a fun visit nonetheless. I am happy to report that the HH is standing strong, even after a few snow storms.


In other Trimper news, the old Matterhorn ride that once resided on the side street will be replaced this year with “Rock & Roll,” a matterhorn-style ride complete with 50s and 60s music imagery and an incredible lighting package. The ride is manufactured by Bertazzon, includes 20 vehicles (40 passengers), and first debuted in 2001 as a new model. Check out a picture, or watch a video of this exciting new ride, soon to be a member of the Trimper ride family!

February 4, 2010
Behind the SCREAMS

Take a look! Underneath the stretch victim in the Torture Chamber! Hmm…that’s weird. There appears to be a hole in the table near the victim’s feet. Mind you, the cam on this motor serves two purposes; one to pull the stretch victim, and the other to move the man pulling the winch bar in sync with the victim. Cool, huh?


January 31, 2010
As we move forward into the next decade trying to develop new ways to scare Haunted House riders, I feel it’s important to look back at the previous decade to see just how far we’ve come. Check out a new feature page entitled “Scaring a New Generation” which includes a complete list, catalog photos, and price tags for the newer and more modernized stunts that have been added to the Haunted House over the past ten years or so. Don't forget; this feature and many others can be found in the features area.

January 30, 2010
Anyone `memba the old OC pier dark ride called Ghost Pirates that existed in the early 2000s before Morbid Manor II? Check out a brochure for this Barbisan attraction, which was formally called Ghost.

January 26, 2010
The wait is over! I am happy to release a full-frontal view of the Haunted House from the 1970’s era before the second-story addition was finished thanks to the Ocean City Life-saving Station Museum website. I am certain this will spark discussion in the forum, and I am excited to hear what you all have to say! Notice: no ticket booth, no second story fence, shorter façade roofline, and additional columns near the front of the building (which are actually located near the back of the lobby today). Eat your hearts out; this is true Bill Tracy style!


January 25, 2010
Upon exiting the Upside-down Room and making a quick right past the Birthday Party, riders get a hurried glimpse of two Trolls which were installed around 2001. The two creatures are nothing more than masks and “monster hands” supported by a wooden frame. I was able to dig up the original listing for this item in a Morris Costumes catalog from the late 90s. In the catalog, it is formally listed as “Borecon Troll” with a price tag of $330 per set. Although hard to find almost a decade later, some websites still offer the mask for sale at a reduced price like halloweenmasks.com. Unfortunately, the rubber has dry rotted over the years and the Borecon Trolls now look exhausted. Well, if they are indeed tired, perhaps they can use the old bed quilts they are dressed in to take a quick snooze.


January 21, 2010
Behind the SCREAMS

Check out the original terminal strip for the sounds and trips inside the attraction! And yes, that is Granville Trimper’s handwriting, according to his grandson.


January 19, 2010
Getting off the Haunted House theme for a moment, for those of you old enough to remember the mid-90s Hollywood Wax Museum in the pier building, check this out!

Being the horror nut that I am, I always enjoyed visiting Ocean City’s boardwalk in the early 90s as a kid because of the abundance of horror attractions: Trimper’s Haunted House and Ghost Hole, Morbid Manor on the Pier, and of course, the “Horror World” of the Hollywood Wax Museum that once resided in the pier building from 1991 to 1995. I dug up an article from a September 8, 1995 issue of the Beachcomber that does a feature on the museum and its closing due to increased lease costs. Be sure to check out all three pages: 1 | 2 | 3

For more Ocean City articles, visit the Ocean City articles section.

January 15, 2010
Behind the SCREAMS

A rare view of the Old Mill. Talk about having a bad night!


January 12, 2010
I had time to completely overhaul the Quick Facts section to include some Haunted House facts that I have never released on this site. Enjoy reading through them! Haunted House knowledge is key!

January 10, 2010
For those who are fans of Aladin’s Lamp funhouse at Trimper’s, I posted a really neat behind-the-scenes photo gallery of the ride courtesy of Bernie Halls, a longtime employee of Trimper’s Rides. He has been working on repainting the façade of the attraction and repairing damaged steel this winter. It truly is fascinating to see how much of the ride is disassembled for the winter months! Check it out!

January 5, 2010
One of my favorite and most memorable Haunted House stunts is the Wine Cellar, which is rarely talked about or remembered. The stunt came from Ocean Playland's Ghost Ship and resided near the ride’s ending immediately before the Waterfall before it was removed in 1998. This stunt, which had a very short tenure in Trimper’s Haunted House of about ten years, sat in a case that was roughly 4’ deep, 5’ high, and 10’ long. It offered a very surreal feel to the ending of the ride, and complimented the Waterfall very well.

The Wine Cellar at Trimper’s looked almost identical to Tracy’s stock catalog photo #41 in his 1967 Amusement Displays catalog and included a constant stream of water running over the body of a drunken, overweight pirate who apparently had one too many. Unfortunately, due to the constant exposure to water and the already humid environment the stunt was in, the papier-mâché body deteriorated rapidly and needed to be refurbished on an annual basis. After several seasons of restoring the focal point of this nostalgic stunt with fiberglass and fresh paint, the management decided to do away with it and occupy the area with a Distortions Spider Web and a few giant plastic skulls. Unfortunately, this was the first Ghost Ship stunt to be removed from the attraction, followed by the Head Slinger, Crab, Sea Sick Pirate, and Mad Scientist.

January 3, 2010
Did You Notice?

It’s always fun to discover parts of old stunts that have been repurposed for current ones! The wooden chair that the old Electric Chair body is sitting in after the Upside-Down Room is actually the same chair that one of the Birthday Party members previously sat in when the stunt was above the final descend! Check out a comparison!

January 2, 2010
Hungry Hungry Hippos…

Although spoken of quite frequently in the forum, the famous Hippo located after the Upside-Down Room is rarely seen. The exact origin of the Hippo is unknown, although many believe it came from Trimper’s miniature golf course that used to reside on the lot where the Freak Out ride now stands. Obviously, Mr. Hippo is wearing Christmas decorations which is also strange, but never the less, I think it’s safe to say that Mr. Hippo is one of the Haunted House’s biggest mysteries! On a side note, you’ll notice that the shelf hanging above the Hippo is from the Mad Scientist stunt which was removed in 2006.


January 1, 2010
Happy New Year! I am happy to announce that Trimper’s Haunted House Online has been featured on Hauntoffthepress.com, an online magazine dedicated to all things haunt-related, even dark rides! A special thanks goes out to Pete Henderson for giving us some time in the spotlight! Check it out!






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