Dying to keep history alive

By SARAH BELLIS

Whidbey News-Times Intern

The moment I stepped into the haunted maze at the Roller Barn, the world went completely black. I was in the middle of our five-person group, which, as it turns out, is the worst place to be.

The floor beneath us began to pulse and vibrate — first a soft squish, then a violent buzz that had me hopping in place. The walls hissed and whooshed with bursts of compressed air from hidden cannons, sending me spinning in every direction. Somewhere ahead, a chainsaw roared to life. I wanted out immediately — but I couldn’t stop laughing.

Later, James Croft, who co-owns the Roller Barn with his wife Priscilla, explained the psychology behind the fear.

“If you come in and you’re not overly scared, we’re not going to put in a lot of effort to make you scared,” Croft said. “But if you are scared, we’re going to make sure you leave scared.”

I tried to smile the whole time, just thinking please don’t scare me … I’m not scared.

“We can see right through that,” Croft replied.

This is Frightville, Oak Harbor’s haunted house situated in the century-old Roller Barn. It’s one of the most elaborate haunts in Washington — and one with a purpose beyond fear. Every shriek, every startle, every ticket sold helps preserve one of Whidbey Island’s most recognizable landmarks.

Frightville first began as a Boys & Girls Club fundraiser in 2000, when haunted houses were popular community events. But in 2021, James and Priscilla Croft took over and transformed it into what James calls a “professional haunt” that still keeps its small-town heart.

“Once we figured out how to use air, it became the cornerstone of how the house performs,” James Croft said.

The Crofts, along with roughly 25 volunteers, spend months each year building, painting, wiring and programming the maze. Every dollar earned goes back into the Roller Barn’s restoration — a structure first built in 1912 that has served as a dairy barn, skating rink and music venue over the decades.

“We don’t take a dime,” Croft said. “Everything the haunt makes goes right back into the barn.”

Frightville isn’t about gore or demons — it’s about phobias.

“We try to hit every kind of fear,” Croft explained. “Bees, spiders, sharks, tight spaces, dark spaces, clowns —whatever it is, we try to get you there.”

This year’s haunt includes the pitch-black “dark maze” (a fan favorite that had me begging for an exit), a swamp with a squishy floor and laser fog and a new industrial air system powering the countless bursts of air that keep guests jumping.

Actors fine-tune each performance to the crowd.

“Automation makes the show consistent for every guest,” Croft said, “and then the actors add the human touch.”

For the Crofts, the haunt has become more than a Halloween attraction — it’s a family. Three generations can be found in volunteers now working together, including teens who have grown up through the haunt and found confidence performing.

“Volunteers are the reason this works,” Croft said. “Painters, builders, actors — we couldn’t do it without them.”

That sense of collaboration even extends beyond Whidbey. Croft regularly swaps ideas and props with other haunted house owners across the state.

“We’re all friends,” he said. “You shouldn’t stop at one haunt — you should go to all of them.”

The Roller Barn itself is steeped in local memory. Built in 1912, it once operated as a dairy barn before becoming a skating rink in the 1950s — a gathering place where locals listened to live bands and learned to skate.

Over time, it faced multiple threats of closure and redevelopment, but the Crofts took it over in 2020 to keep it standing.

“This barn has been a community hub for over a century,” Croft said. “We’re just making sure it stays that way.”

Each year, the couple invests in new renovations — murals, lighting, snack bar upgrades and infrastructure improvements — to make sure the landmark remains safe, beautiful and open to the public.

Even after Halloween ends, the Crofts keep the scares alive. Every February, they host a Valentine’s Day haunt — a lighter, more humorous twist filled with “love-sick scares.”

And for younger guests, Frightville offers “lights-on” matinees with no actors and minimal scares.

“It’s still spooky,” Croft laughed, “about 40% of kids don’t make it through.”

Leaving the haunt that night, the air was cold and clear, laughter echoing from those brave enough to go inside. Behind every jump scare is a story of community, craftsmanship and love for local history.

Frightville might terrify you — but it also reminds you what can happen when people come together to save something worth keeping.

If You Go:

Frightville Haunted House at the Roller Barn

98 NE Barron Drive, Oak Harbor

Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 31

Animatronic (no actor) shows: Saturdays 4–5 p.m.

Lights-on matinee: Sundays, Oct. 19 & 26

Tickets available at therollerbarn.com/the-haunted-barn