Haunted House Plan

Wineka column: Responses on 'haunted' house

SALISBURY — Don’t read too much into this, but folks are coming out of the woodwork about David Harrison’s “ghost house” at 1031 Highland Ave.

Two people in particular, Lydia Rusher Hatley and Kenneth Edwards, lived in the house years ago (at separate times). They read Tuesday’s story about reports of paranormal activity at the address and Harrison’s plans to offer an art gallery there by day and a ghost house with tours by night.

Sorry to say, Hatley and Edwards never had any encounters with ghosts or unusual happenings at the 1910 house.

“There was nothing ever (haunted) in that house,” Hatley said. “I laughed and laughed and laughed (after reading the story). ... That house is not haunted, unless he haunted it after he bought it.”

Harrison has owned the former rental house for 18 years. Over that time, several tenants told him of encounters with ghosts or the unexplained sounds of running children, footfalls on the stairway, whispered conversations and even black clouds.

Harrison also called in young investigators with the Carolina Association of Paranormal Studies, whose three-person team recorded evidence of an apparition, conversations and paranormal movement in the house.

Harrison and the investigators believe the ghostly happenings are connected somehow to a fire in the house’s past.

Hatley knew nothing about a fire. When someone asked whether she would pay the $15 price for a tour of the house, just out of curiosity, Hatley said, “I’m not going to pay $15 for a tour of a house I lived in.”

“... My kids ran all over that house, in the attic and everywhere. And I did, too. My mamma would turn over in her grave, if she knew he was telling people it was haunted.”

Hatley’s uncle, railroader Gus Foster, built the house. It passed on to Hatley’s mother, Lily Foster Rusher, at the uncle’s death.

Lily Rusher lived at 1031 Highland Ave. when her first children were born before the family moved to Faith, where Hatley’s father worked in a rock quarry.

The Rushers later moved back to the Highland Avenue house after Gus Foster died. “I ended back there, too, when Daddy was sick, to help take care of him,” Hatley said.

Hatley, her husband and their four children lived on Highland Avenue for four or five years in the 1950s, she said. Her mother continued living there with Hatley’s siblings after her own family moved.

Halloween Haunted Houses Safety - Halloween.com

Halloween Haunted Houses Safety

Having ideas for haunted houses safety is a way to plan for your Halloween to go off without a hitch. Whether you are planning on creating your own or taking your family to one, there are some tips to keep in mind. Overall though, the idea is to be cautious and still have a good time.

Haunted Houses Safety for DIY

So, you want to transform your home into a spook fest? This could mean just a good variety of decorations, or a more elaborate and detailed haunted house. However you plan to carry out a haunted house theme of your own, just be certain safety comes first. This means for your own home as well as the well-being of others.

In fact, one main safety hazard around Halloween for any home is the jack-o’-lantern. While the traditional carved pumpkin illuminated by a burning candle looks cool, it can also pose a fire hazard. Be certain the flame is not leaving too much of a singe mark, which would mean it is too close to starting a fire.

Try to keep jack-o’-lanterns off pathways with foot traffic to prevent them being knocked and igniting a fire. Do not forget to extinguish the candle each night before going to bed. Do not get so busy with Halloween night festivities that you forget to check on the candle occasionally. If it seems too much to worry about, you can always opt for fake jack-o’-lanterns that plug in or illuminate the real thing with a glow stick instead. In fact, anything you use for décor should be flame retardant if possible.

Aside from Fire

Other than that, your main concern for a DIY haunted house is to make sure there are no tripping hazards. Anything that could get snagged on someone should be considered too. Fake spider webs, for example, if not properly secured, can dangle and be a potential problem for getting caught around the feet or even the neck. Also, watch for hazards such as protruding nails or screws. And, if you have anyone acting the part as a ghost or murderous fiend, make sure they aren’t carrying anything that could injure someone.

If you are actually going all out and building a haunted house, instead of just decorating a room or two of your home, you must have emergency exits and insurance. Before getting this far into a project of this magnitude, check with your local government about regulations and codes.

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