On an eerie October evening in 2001, the face of horror in Baton Rouge, LA changed forever when The 13th Gate Haunted House opened its doors to the public. After starting out in 1993 as a corn maze and haunt named Louisiana Nightmares in Alexandria, LA, then progressing to a pop-up haunt at the LSU Ag Center, owner Dwayne Sanburn longed to create a permanent home for his ghastly creatures. The 13th Gate moved into the old Steinberg Sports Center building in downtown Baton Rouge and has been striking fear into the hearts of its victims ever since.
And what a home he has created! With 40,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor space, The 13th Gate takes customers on a winding path through several individually themed,
hyper-realistic locations which make them feel as though they have stumbled into their own personal horror film. Throughout the years, guests have been stalked through the cobblestone streets of London by Jack the Ripper, encountered ruthless and bloodthirsty pirates, traversed snake-infested caves, confronted demons lurking in a cabin in the woods, explored ancient Egyptian tombs, and witnessed twisted versions of classic childhood fairytales.
Some of the newest additions to the haunted house include the crumbling ruins of Dracula’s castle, ghostly patients in a forsaken asylum, an expansive graveyard crawling with zombies, and a completely renovated lobby featuring Hellevators waiting to take guests on the ride of their lives.
A dedicated crew led by Sanburn work year-round to design and build the incredibly immersive sets from the ground up. Attention is paid to every detail, from 360 degree scenes to disturbingly accurate smells. During the Halloween season, a team of professional stage management, hair, and make-up artists work together to turn over 150 actors into grotesque creatures who are then unleashed into this realm of nightmares.
In 2018, CarnEvil Haunted Midway opened its gates directly across the street from The 13th Gate, containing attractions such as 5 minute escape games, axe throwing, and a particularly discourteous dunk tank clown. Guests can stroll the midway while enjoying carnival style food and specialty cocktails, purchase photos and merchandise, or catch one of the free concerts which happen throughout the season.
For those who can’t get enough of the immersion and creativity The 13th Gate has to offer in the Fall, Sanburn expanded into the world of escape games by opening 13th Gate Escape directly next door to the haunted house in 2015. 13th Gate Escape currently has 7 different themed games, from beginner to advanced difficulty levels, and provides players with a fun group outing experience for friends or team-building exercise for corporate groups year-round.
For more information on The 13th Gate Haunted House and CarnEvil Haunted Midway, visit www.13thGate.com. For more information on 13th Gate Escape, visit
www.13thGateEscape.com.
