For one night only, ghosts and ghouls will come out to play in the Village of Yesteryear.
The ordinarily picturesque and inviting location will take on a decidedly different hue Oct. 26 for Flashlight Fright Night, an evening of scary stories and educational — though somewhat creepy — experiences presented by the Steele County Historical Society and Little Theatre of Owatonna.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is the second half of a spooky double bill the two organizations have lined up, which begins with a sold-out murder mystery dinner theater experience at the History Center the night before.
In exchange for the historical society renting out its location free of charge for the show, LTO actors will don historic garb and tell scary stories in the village.
Flashlight Fright Night is a new event for the SCHS, which previously hosted A Haunting We Will Go for many years, a family event in the village that included candy, crafts and activities. Last Halloween, a sudden drop in temperature and a dusting of snow pushed the event indoors.
“It was great to get families into the History Center, but it didn’t really align with our mission because we weren’t educating people about a historic time, a historic practice or even just people from our past,” said Executive Director Jennifer Thiele.
She noted that live theater, which the SCHS often incorporates into its events, gives visitors a fun way to engage with history.
Partnership
The concept for the partnership originated with LTO Board Member Mike Jensen, who was seeking a venue for the upcoming show “Murder at the Pie Auction,” the second in its annual Drama After Dark event series.
With LTO needing a space for one event, and SCHS needing actors for another, Jensen said the partnership made sense. While its regular home, the city-owned Merrill Hall building, is under renovation, LTO has relied on other venues to host its events.
“Any time organizations can pull together to support each other is good for the community,” said Jensen. “I think we’ll end up with two really good events.”
Jensen said operating without Merrill Hall has been a challenge, but LTO has gotten creative to solve it. The city of Owatonna recently announced the $5.3 million renovation project on the historic building is proceeding ahead of schedule. The theater does not have a final move-in date yet, but is scheduled to host its first show at the newly renovated Merrill Hall in February.
Flashlight Fright Night aims to keep the fun of previous events, while also spotlighting scary and paranormal stories from Steele County and southern Minnesota curated by local historian Nancy Vaillancourt and SCHS Archives and Collections Manager Amy Lowery.
Thiele recommended attendees bring a flashlight and bundle up, as the event is slated to take place in the village regardless of weather. However, guests will only have to brave the cold, dark night for short stretches, as the actors will be stationed in the village’s heated buildings.
Scary stories
Scary stories for the evening include the murder of J. M. Clark, who was killed in Owatonna in 1897, as well as accounts of supposed hauntings related by children who lived in the Minnesota State Public School.
Out of respect for the children, the SCHS has always treated ghost stories about the orphanage with caution.
“When we’re on the grounds there, Anne [Peterson, museum manager] is very respectful of the children’s memory, and we are trying to debunk that idea that the grounds of the West Hills are haunted. A lot of people want to go there, want to explore, they believe the tunnels are haunted,” said Thiele.
Thiele stressed that while many children had “haunting” experiences at the orphanage, that does not mean the campus is literally haunted. Still, some children related stories of strange happenings, and she feels the village is a more appropriate location to handle these stories, rather than the orphanage grounds themselves.
Plus, the historical society is only indulging in these scary stories for one night.
“On Sunday, after all this wraps up — no, it’s not haunted,” said Thiele.
In addition to scary stories, visitors can stop by the Dunnell House for a presentation on historical funeral practices, in the very home where Representative Mark Dunnell’s body was kept on view after his death in 1904. An actor playing will be there, alongside a casket, explaining how people’s bodies were often displayed in their homes prior to burial in his day.
To lend some atmosphere to the proceedings, the village will feature spooky set pieces and music that evening, and appearances from Frankenstein’s Monster and the Headless Horseman. However, guests shouldn’t expect a pulse-pounding haunted house experience. These characters will be lurking on the grounds to amp up the ghoulish vibes, but they won’t be lunging at any unsuspecting visitors.
The historical society is recommending parental discretion for those with younger children. Thiele said they’re aiming to make the event appropriate for middle schoolers and up.
While they’re waiting to see how people interact with the first-time event, the SCHS is already exploring ideas for the future. Thiele noted they have a “stockpile” of creepy old dolls in their collection, and she hopes to use them for a scavenger hunt next year.
Likewise, LTO plans to bring Drama After Dark back in the future, though it will likely look very different from year to year. Last year’s event was a historic costume and dress show hosted at the Owatonna Arts Center.
Flashlight Fright Night is sponsored by Curt’s Truck and Diesel Service.
IF YOU GO
Flashlight Fright Night runs 4:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 in the Village of Yesteryear (1448 Austin Rd). The event is free and open to the public.
Tickets for “Murder at the Pie Auction are sold out.
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