The building at 301 5th Street in Pacific Junction is a three-story schoolhouse built in 1914. This fall it has animatronics, immersive sets and a slide that runs all three floors. Psycho Schoolhouse held its grand opening on October 2, and the Mills County Chamber's listing called it a "long awaited" opening "after years of anticipation."
The opening changes how the last stretch of October works in Mills County. Glenwood's Hillside House of Hell has been running since mid-September. Now the county has two full haunted attractions from the same operators, a short drive apart. They keep different hours, and Pacific Junction covers the weeknights that Glenwood leaves open.
Same Crew, Two Towns, Different Nights
ScareIowa.com lists two Iowa locations: Hillside House of Hell at 114 Green Street in Glenwood, and Psycho Schoolhouse in Pacific Junction. According to The Omaha News at UNO, the people behind Hillside and Bloodrush built the new haunt. Co-owners Travis Marcoux and Shaun Rosen spent months on setup with a team of builders, and they hire young local talent for acting, makeup and special effects roles. The same report says opening weekend brought in Amelie McLain from Terrifier 2, with more guest appearances planned week by week.
The two attractions differ in what's inside, what they cost and when they open. Here's how KETV's 2026 haunted house guide lists them:
| Hillside House of Hell, Glenwood | Psycho Schoolhouse, Pacific Junction | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 114 Green St. | 301 5th St. |
| Inside | The Sacrifice, Klown Kraze 3D, Motel Massacre, Devil's Chapel | 1914 schoolhouse, animatronics, immersive sets, three-story slide |
| Single ticket | $39.99 | $34.99 |
| VIP ticket | $54.99 | $49.99 |
| Regular nights | Fri–Sat 7–11:30 p.m.; Thu and Sun 7–10 p.m. | Fri–Sat 7–11:30 p.m.; Sun 7–10 p.m. |
| Extra late-season nights | Oct. 28, 29 and Nov. 1, 7–10 p.m. | Oct. 22, 26, 27, 28, 29 and Nov. 1, 7–10 p.m. |
At both ticket levels, the newer haunt costs $5 less than Glenwood's. KETV lists a $99.99 season pass that covers the Elkhorn and Glenwood attractions plus special events. The listing doesn't mention Pacific Junction, so if you plan to visit both Mills County haunts, check what the pass includes before you buy it.
The Final Eleven Nights, One by One
The Chamber lists the county's haunted house season running from Thursday, October 22, through Sunday, November 1. The table below lines up the KETV hours with the other events on the Chamber calendar.
| Date | Glenwood haunt | Pacific Junction haunt | Also on the calendar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Oct. 22 | 7–10 p.m. | 7–10 p.m. | |
| Fri, Oct. 23 | 7–11:30 p.m. | 7–11:30 p.m. | |
| Sat, Oct. 24 | 7–11:30 p.m. | 7–11:30 p.m. | Holiday Hop & Shop, Tabor, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Sun, Oct. 25 | 7–10 p.m. | 7–10 p.m. | Fall Vendor Craft Fair, Malvern, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Mon, Oct. 26 | Closed | 7–10 p.m. | |
| Tue, Oct. 27 | Closed | 7–10 p.m. | |
| Wed, Oct. 28 | 7–10 p.m. | 7–10 p.m. | |
| Thu, Oct. 29 | 7–10 p.m. | 7–10 p.m. | Bootique Crawl, Glenwood, 4–7 p.m. |
| Fri, Oct. 30 | 7–11:30 p.m. | 7–11:30 p.m. | Boo Bash, I-29 Dragway, 5–11:30 p.m. |
| Sat, Oct. 31 | 7–11:30 p.m. | 7–11:30 p.m. | |
| Sun, Nov. 1 | 7–10 p.m. | 7–10 p.m. |
On Monday and Tuesday, October 26 and 27, Hillside's posted schedule has no hours, while Psycho Schoolhouse is open both nights. On those early-week nights, the 1914 schoolhouse on 5th Street is the only haunted attraction running in the county. From Wednesday on, both are open every night through November 1.
The daytime events on the first weekend run on a different track. Holiday Hop & Shop fills the Lakin Library & Envisioning Center at 725 Main Street in Tabor on Saturday, and the proceeds support library programs. On Sunday, Malvern's Fall Vendor Craft Fair sets up at The Lakin Community Building, 61321 315th Street. Both wrap up by 3 p.m., well before either haunt opens its doors.
Two Evenings When the Whole Season Stacks Up
The schedules overlap most on the last Thursday and Friday of October, and each night centers on one town.
Thursday, October 29, belongs to Glenwood. The 2nd Annual Bootique Crawl runs from 4 to 7 p.m. In the same window, Snoots Dog Grooming hosts a ribbon cutting and open house at 411 W. Sharp. Both end at 7 p.m., the moment Hillside House of Hell opens on Green Street. Psycho Schoolhouse opens at 7 p.m. that night too, so you can shop and then pick either haunt.
Friday, October 30, belongs to Pacific Junction. Boo Bash takes over I-29 Dragway that evening. Gates open at 5 p.m., tech opens at 5:30 and Test 'n Tune starts at 6 p.m. and is open to everyone. Competition follows the 6:30 drivers meeting, and the burnout pit opens at 7. The program also lists a kids' trunk-or-treat, a foot race and hayrack rides alongside the drag racing cash days. Boo Bash runs until 11:30 p.m., the same closing time posted for Psycho Schoolhouse that night. A family could split up, with kids at the trunk-or-treat and the rest at the schoolhouse, and still finish in the same town at the same hour.
Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, and both haunts run their long 7 to 11:30 p.m. hours. Glenwood, Malvern and Pacific Junction each set their own trick-or-treat hours, so check with your city before planning Saturday evening around a haunt.
A few practical notes for the week:
- Both attractions sell tickets through getscared.fearticket.com, and ScareIowa.com has details on both locations.
- The prices and hours above come from KETV's guide, which was updated September 4, 2026. Confirm a specific night on the ticket site before you drive over.
- WOWT's opening-weekend roundup listed the same Friday, Saturday and Sunday hours for Psycho Schoolhouse that KETV lists for the season.
After November 1, the Calendar Moves to the Square and Main Street
Once both haunts close on Sunday, November 1, the county calendar goes quiet for four days. Then the first weekend of November brings three events at once.
Glenwood Shop Hop 2026 runs Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7. The written schedule on the Chamber listing says noon to 6 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The calendar header on the same page shows a 10 a.m. Friday start, so confirm with the organizers before an early Friday trip. The format is a passport. Pick one up at any participating business, get a free stamp at each shop you visit and turn it in at your last stop. Every stamp enters you for a prize from that business. The listing says participating businesses will be "announced soon."
The same two days, the Malvern Country Music Gathering fills the Liberty Memorial Building at 501 Main Street in Malvern. On Friday, November 6, the Southwest Iowa Local Foods Summit runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mills County Historical Museum, 20 Lake Drive in Glenwood.
A week after that, on November 13, Wild Hearts 'n Horses at 64501 232nd Street outside Glenwood hosts Christmas on the Farm with Santa, local vendors and holiday activities. In late October the county's evenings run between two haunted houses, and by mid-November its weekends move to Glenwood's square, Malvern's Main Street and the farms around them.
If an older building in Glenwood, Malvern or Pacific Junction has you wondering what it could become, the way the 1914 schoolhouse on 5th Street did for its new owners, Lisa Pringle (FKA Lisa Pringle) is glad to walk it with you. Let's Connect.