Milburn’s Haunted Manor Is Guaranteed To Give You A Fright

Community: Milburn’s Haunted Manor
Written by Angie Helvey | Photo courtesy Milburn Manor

Ranked No. 1 in Oregon by Frightfind two years in a row, Milburn’s Haunted Manor is the ultimate backwoods haunt and features two scary attractions, a pumpkin patch, snacks, hot beverages and more. Proceed with caution, especially if you scare easily. This is not your typical haunted house.

Mike Milburn and his wife were lying on a beach in Mexico more than 20 years ago when they decided they needed a vacation money generator and began planning to transform their property into a haunt. They had two kids in the North Marion drama club to use as actors, enough acreage to add multiple attractions and a friend to run food concessions. Now Milburn’s has begun its 21st season and is better and more horrifying than ever!

Milburn’s features two bone-chilling scare experiences that are entirely different and frightening in their own way. The Manor is a classic-style haunted house where you move through a dark and eerie dwelling, hoping you won’t run into Suzie Milburn’s tormented ghost, who long ago murdered her parents and then hung herself. The second attraction is The Dark, which Mike calls “a startle haunt.” Visitors stumble through an almost pitch-dark house with lighting and other effects that hide the murderous zombies and clowns until they’re practically sitting in your lap! After you’ve been adequately terrified, enjoy fresh-cut curly fries, funnel-fried bacon, hot apple cider and more at the Graveside Grill. Don’t forget to stop at the Moonlit Pumpkin Patch to pick up your yearly gourd before leaving. Commemorate your experience with a shot at the photo booth. “We’ve created a carnival-style atmosphere to make Milburn’s more of a destination,” says Mike.

Mike is an expert in what he calls scareology, the psychology behind the art of frightening people and the proper use of spooking techniques. “Someone who is already jumpy is easy to scare,” he says. “But I can get almost anybody if I can get in their personal space without them seeing me coming. In The Dark, let’s say there’s a picture frame on one side of the hallway, but it’s a drop panel and there’s a ghoul behind it. We put a door on the opposite side of the hallway with an invisible cable that returns to the ghoul behind the picture. When he wiggles that door, people see that and it’s a perceived threat, so they hug the other wall and end up inches away from the ghoul.”

The Manor is theatrical, suspenseful and more like a Hitchcock movie than “Friday the 13th.” “There’s a story that unfolds, and the suspense builds before we finally attack you,” Mike says.

Milburn’s is a far cry from the large-volume haunted houses you’ll find in Portland, and that’s what makes it unique. “It’s not scary if you’re walking in a conga line and can see the group ahead of you,” says Mike. “We have at least 45 seconds between groups, which allows us to create a theatrical, individualized experience for just you and your party.”

Milburn’s is proud to be part of the Halloween holiday for many families. “We’re not just putting on a haunted house; we’re part of their seasonal tradition,” says Mike. “It’s cool to see guests and volunteers come back generationally. I had a student who was going to volunteer, and she said her mom used to scare with us, so they both came, and mother and daughter got to scare in the same room. It’s like things have gone full circle.”

Milburn’s Haunted Manor is located at 11503 Broadacres Road N.E. in Hubbard. Contact them at 503-830-0865 or visit their website at milburnmanor.com.