SILVER VALLEY, Idaho — What looks like ordinary construction along Brandons Road hides something spookier.
Miranda Elam owns and operates one of the only haunted houses in rural Silver Valley. This is the second year she and her family have transformed her childhood home into Patti’s Purgatory.
Elam inherited the home when her mother passed away. For years, it sat empty.
“One day, a light bulb went off and I thought, you know, it’s always had the creepy vibes. It’s super old, like, why don’t we turn it into a haunted house?” Elam said.
Her whole family helps with decorations, special effects and scaring visitors. The details include sensory experiences.
“And you smell this? Smells like mildew? We put that in the fog juice so you get that kind of outdoor icky effect,” Elam said.
Visitors encounter 10 rooms, each spookier than the last. The experience includes chainsaw sound effects and other frightening elements.
“We do a lot for the community. We try to anyways, it’s such a small valley. And so we just had this idea to do something else for the community, something for families and people to do together,” Elam said.
Patti’s Purgatory honors Elam’s late mother, Patti.
“She loved togetherness and community. So I figured we did an homage to her,” Elam said.
The attraction delivers genuine scares. Last year, it drew more than 100 visitors per night.
“Some people that come through get to take a body part with them. We give them an ear,” Elam said.
Patti’s Purgatory also sells hot cocoa and t-shirts.
The haunted house is open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. It closes for the season after Halloween night. Tickets cost $15 per person.
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