Halloween in the Valley
October is home to one of the most popular holidays of the year: Halloween! It is a time when the accepted behavior is to dress in crazy costumes so people will give you treats, recount tales of close encounters of the paranormal kind, and visit haunted houses designed to scare the bejesus out of everyone.
You might think Halloween is all about candy, costumes, and spooky fun. But did you know it also has a religious background? In fact, the word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve,” which falls on October 31, the day before All Saints’ Day on November 1. For many people around the world, Halloween and the days following are a time to celebrate saints, honor the dead, and offer prayers for their souls.
The origins of Halloween date back some 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic pagan religious festival of Samhain, meaning summer’s end. The Celts believed the festival was a time when the dead could walk among the living.
In the 11th century, Christianity adopted October 31 as a holiday to reframe the pagan celebration of Samhain, though many of the original traditions persisted. Trick-or-treating originated in the UK and Ireland, where people would go door-to-door asking for small breads in exchange for prayers. These customs eventually crossed the Atlantic, brought to America in the 1800s by Irish and Scottish immigrants, shaping the Halloween we know today.
Current popular Halloween celebrations include trick-or-treating, costume parades, activities hosted within reputed haunted structures and manufactured “spook houses” designed to push the boundaries of fear with actors, props, amazing make-up, and bone-chilling experiences.
HALLOWEEN IN THE RIVER VALLEY
River Valley residents needn’t stray far for a spooky Halloween experience as the area features two of the Natural State’s most famous locations for reported paranormal phenomenon encounters.
Downtown Fort Smith’s Clayton House is renowned for its paranormal sightings. Built in 1852, the home was originally the Sutton House. It was also in service as a Union hospital during the Civil War. One of the city’s most well-known historical figures, William Clayton, purchased and restored the property in 1882. Clayton was the prosecutor for Hanging Judge Isaac Parker. During his years before Parker, he convicted eighty men of murder, forty of whom were executed. After the Clayton family moved away, it became a boarding house. With its varied history, it has been challenging to determine if the remaining forlorn spirits are those of criminals Clayton sent to the gallows, soldiers, or former residents.
In its current rendition as a museum, visitors and museum staff have reported witnessing apparitions, experiencing odd smells, the feeling of being touched, and even having their hair pulled. The Lady in Brown is a frequent encounter. Dressed in a long brown skirt and white linen high-necked blouse, with her hair pulled up in a bun, she strikes the image of a proper Victorian lady. Many believe this could be the spirit of Florence Clayton herself. Visitors have numerous opportunities to witness the Lady in Brown, whether attending daily tours of the Clayton House or the numerous activities hosted there.
The annual Murder & Mayhem event could be a fitting setting for a lucky chance encounter. This haunted hayride and dinner includes stops at the historic Bonneville House and Fort Smith Museum of History en route to a gathering at the Clayton House for s’mores, cordials, and more creepy tales.
Across the Arkansas River is another site renowned for paranormal happenings. Van Buren’s King Opera House has recorded many supernatural sightings. Several theater directors have encountered the Ghost of the Opera House. The handsome young man, dressed in a Victorian-era suit, is thought to be the spirit of an actor who once graced the stage. Legend has it that he fell in love with the daughter of a local doctor. The couple’s elopement was spoiled when the father replaced his daughter at their planned rendezvous in front of the Opera House, shooting the actor dead – doomed for eternity to roam the halls of the theater. Visit the adjoining Arts on Main office for a tour of the historic opera house.
NOT INTO PARANORMAL?
For those who prefer to let sleeping ghosts lie but still experience the frights and spooks of the night, the River Valley offers scare-filled attractions like the Asylum X Haunted House, operating weekends through October 31.
“It’s a highly immersive and interactive haunted attraction that prides itself on realism and creativity,” explains Dan Crawford, owner-operator of Shady Slaughters Productions and Asylum X Haunted House. “As you walk the darkened halls of the Asylum, just keep repeating, ‘This is not real. This is not real.’” Find them on Facebook for pricing and hours.
If you are willing to make the short drive to Muskogee, Oklahoma, The Castle hosts their Halloween Festival through October 26. Village activities, some free some paid, include campfire ghost stories, a climbing wall, zombie paintball, petting zoo, fortune telling, escape room, axe throwing, and pony and camel rides. Visitors can choose several haunted attractions from intense scare experiences or family friendly fun. Visit okcastle.com for details and to purchase tickets.
For River Valley residents seeking happy Halloween fun, take the kids to downtown Fort Smith on October 31 for Ghouls on Garrison. Downtown merchants hand out treats and more along Garrison Avenue. Ghouls on Garrison is a free, family friendly event organized by Main Street Fort Smith. The always-popular Candy Land, hosted by Propak, also makes its return. This family friendly, non-scary, candy and treat event is located at 1100 Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith. “These events are great ways for our community to meet downtown business owners and have fun in the heart of Fort Smith,” says Main Street Fort Smith Executive Director Amanda Hager.
Visit Facebook for activities listed for additional information. Have a Halloween event you’d like to place on our calendar? Submit it HERE.
