The Mad-Genius

As a 24-year-old elementary schoolteacher in Maryland, Edwin “Itsi” Atkins noticed that nobody ever had created an interactive haunted house. People before only set up “yard haunts,” using typical store-bought or homemade props: jack o’-lanterns, zombies, witches. Disneyland offered The Haunted Mansion, a slow ride through a dark tunnel. There was nothing else until 1971, when Itsi unveiled Blood Manor, a spine-chilling excursion.

The Epiphany

“Let’s do a haunted house,” Itsi said one day at work, according to the The Washington Post. Itsi dreamt in gruesome rooms filled with screams. He began to fundraise to develop America’s first haunted house—Blood Manor—a live-action experience with sound and light effects, and eerie actors popping up in the midst of terrifying scenes. He called this project “theater in reverse,” as people creep through static scenes.

The Execution

An abandoned convent in Ridge, Maryland became Blood Manor. Itsi loved the creaky, ruined interiors. He hired college students to construct and then operate Blood Manor. Each room was styled with horrifying props: a man dangles from a tree as surgeons prepare to amputate a leg in a blood-drenched chamber. In another room, an open casket slams shut revealing a ghoulish bride. The execution process involved trial and error. Itsi and his staff structured the pace of the “haunted house theatre” to manipulate the flow of spectators for maximum scary effect.

The Result

Blood Manor came to New York City, attracting large crowds and celebrities such as Kevin Hart and Jimmy Fallon. It is characterized as “New York City’s Premier Haunted Attraction.” The theatre, open from 7PM to midnight, is situated on the second floor of a downtown office building on Varick Street. Anna Caceres, 19, said that patrons in groups of six wander through the themed rooms, which are replete with sinister clowns, mad scientists, and live-size dollhouses with spooky inmates. Admission ranges from $30 to $60. One can go through the house in normally a 20-minute experience. The average queue to get in is one and a half hours. Matt Martinez, 19, said, “Waiting on line was cool because people in costumes went around scaring everyone, like a skeleton playing card tricks.” So, if you are a fan of the grotesque and bloodthirsty for chilling entertainment, don’t miss Blood Manor.