Halloween a time for candy, special activities

Buried beneath the sodden terrain of the Allegheny Cemetery lies the body of Harry Kendall Thaw — resident of Pittsburgh, short-term student at the University and infamous murderer. As the heir to a bountiful inheritance, Thaw resided in a stately mansion located on the North Side. It was in this mansion that he lived with his wife, seductress Evelyn Nesbit, who was rumored to have had adulterous relations with the well-to-do Stanford White.

Thaw found out about Nesbit’s actions and was overtaken by a crazed jealousy. On the rooftop of a stately theater at Madison Square Garden, Thaw fired three lethal shots that slew White on a summer evening in 1906.

At what newspapers dubbed the “Trial of the Century,” Thaw was deemed not guilty at a second hearing on account of insanity but was later granted leave from the asylum in which he was placed. Modern residents who live by the old manor have claimed to see “an apparition of a gray lady on the front porch,” according to Pittsburgh tour guide Valerie VanHolt. Could it be Evelyn?

Visiting Thaw mansion is one of several festive activities in which students can partake in some frightfully good fun this Halloween. A number of other Pittsburgh-based attractions offer visitors chilling thrills and exciting adventures to fill the last of their October nights.

One option is to hop on a haunted tour of spooky locales across the city. In honor of All Hallow’s Eve, the Thaw mansion is one of several landmarks that will be visited by the Terror Trolley Tours, hosted by Just Ducky Tours and Molly’s Trolleys tonight at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. The tour, which embarks from Station Square, is designed to dig up elements of Pittsburgh’s past while giving passengers the heebie-jeebies.

VanHolt, who is a self-proclaimed part-believer and part-skeptic of ghosts, calls it a “catching-you-off-guard kind of scare.”

Travelers on the tour should beware not to get too comfortable or let their guards down, for they may never know what ghost story comes next.

“You’re lulled into this false sense of security on this nice trolley,” VanHolt said. “Then we like to shake you up a bit.”

For the college student — especially history buffs — this tour has the potential to not only freak one out, but to provide a rich account of Pittsburgh’s spooky lore.

“People don’t think of Pittsburgh as a city with a lot of history, like New York or Boston,” VanHolt stated. “The city really does have a great haunted past, and there are some interesting things that have happened here that you might not know about unless you get this tour.”

VanHolt added that the tour could offer some background to non-Pittsburghers. “It’s especially interesting for students who aren’t from here and want to learn about the city a little bit,” she said. “And [for those] that are into some paranormal stuff.”

For $20 with a student ID, the trolley tours will provide a two-pronged history lesson and fright fest for attendees.

The terror tours aren’t the only option for those students who wish to get their adrenaline pumping tonight.

The ScareHouse, “Pittsburgh’s ultimate haunted house,” will be in operation from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. tonight and until midnight this Friday and Saturday. This Elk’s-Lodge-turned-spook-site is located roughly five miles from campus at 436 Butler St. in Etna.

The ScareHouse is divided into three mysterious “haunts,” through which visitors can walk at their own pace.This year’s newest addition is a haunt featuring “Creepo the Clown,” an angry joker who viciously murders Santa to avenge Christmas’ hogging of all the holiday spirit.

Other haunts at the ScareHouse include “The Forsaken” and “Pittsburgh Zombies.”

Senior manager of the ScareHouse and Pitt sociology professor Margee Kerr described the event as a break from the stresses of midterm season.

“It’s a great way to blow off some steam,” she said. “Haunted attractions are a huge draw for everybody [of all ages]. It’s such a rush.”

Chipotle on Forbes Avenue will also be participating in the Halloween craze. Students who go to the restaurant dressed in costume after 4 p.m. tonight will receive a discounted meal. The Mexican eatery is hosting its annual “Boorito” event, in which the store will sell burritos, bowls, and salads for $2 to those in costume. All of the proceeds will benefit The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, whose mission is to give back to farmers.

Another option tonight for Halloween revelers of legal drinking age is The Modern Cafe’s second annual “Colors and Bottles” event at 6:30 p.m.

This event consists of food, drinks, and easels in an atmosphere that event planner and daughter of the bar’s owners Constance Zotis describes as a “ma-and-pa place.” The attendees will follow a model painting of fall-ish pumpkins, and an instructor will be present for assistance.

“I remember walking around last time, and people made their own adaptations,” Zotis recalled.

The placement of this artistic event on Halloween was not without intention. “We did this for people who aren’t technically doing anything at home — like handing out candy — but still wanted to go out,” she said. “And we’ll be handing out candy here.”

For at least part of Pitt’s population, it doesn’t take art projects or haunted houses, but just the right costume to make Halloween night memorable. Many students said dressing up is the best part about this frightening, yet creative, holiday. Costumes donned by students already this year included Uncle Sam, a whiteboard, and toy soldiers.

Freshman Vagif Salimov, an economics and political science major, views the event as an opportunity to take on a new persona. He dressed up as a newspaper boy over the weekend and carried a copy of USA Today around town.

“Halloween means getting a new character and becoming something else for a day,” he said.

Sophomore Lauren Schall, a nutrition major, showed both her school and holiday spirit by carving the Pitt logo into a pumpkin and dressing up as “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” from Stieg Larsson’s popular novel. But because of midterms, she’ll be spending this Halloween at the library.

“I’m not going out on actual Halloween because it’s a Wednesday, and I have tests on Thursday,” Schall said. But, she did celebrate this past weekend.

Some students acknowledged that Halloween has transformed since their younger years of trick-or-treating.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Livingstone, a Spanish major, commented on the transition in festivities. “It’s definitely just a reason to party.”

Freshman Cori Plesko, a nursing major, has used the holiday to become more inventive, but still embraces its sweet side.

“I’ve definitely become more creative with my costume ideas,” she said. “[But] I definitely eat the same amount of candy.”