Welcome to DinkLife! Today, we’re diving into the history of the Haunted School House and Laboratory, which have stood beside the famous Goodyear Airdock in Akron, Ohio, for more than 51 years.
Let’s start with the origins of these iconic buildings.
The Haunted School House occupies the former Thomastown Elementary School, built in 1921 at 1280 Triplett Boulevard. Originally serving the educational needs of the local community, the school became part of Akron Public Schools after Springfield Township was annexed in 1928. It closed during the Great Depression, but was later converted by the University of Akron into aviation training facilities, the only school in Ohio at the time producing licensed airplane mechanics and maintenance workers.
By fall 1949, a postwar population boom brought the building back to its original use as an elementary school, while aviation students moved next door into the Guggenheim Airship Institute after its closure. This was the height of aviation’s golden age, when students studied carburetors, ignition systems, hydraulics, welding, and even rebuilt airplanes. The school than operated as an elementary school until 1973, when the new Barrett School opened.
Next door, the Haunted Laboratory took shape in the former Guggenheim Airship Institute. The Institute opened on June 26, 1932, for $350,000, just a year after Goodyear completed the U.S.S. Akron, the institute became the nation’s hub for lighter-than-air research. Its dedication banquet was held at the grand Mayflower Hotel and brought together some of the top airship minds from around the world. At the time, airplanes couldn’t yet cross oceans, airships promised long-range travel and international mail service. At the Institute a large meteorological tower rose from the roof, critical for blimp navigation. But, one of the institute’s crown jewels was a four-story vertical wind tunnel, the largest in the world at the time, built for $60,000. It tested airship models, studied boundary layers, and examined gust effects on docked blimps.
Tragedy struck on February 12, 1935, when the USS Macon, built by Goodyear in Akron for the U.S. Navy, broke apart in a storm off the California coast and sank into Monterey Bay. Two crew members died, and the disaster effectively ended the Navy’s rigid airship program. Research funding dried up, and shortly after the crash, the Goodyear-Zeppelin organization dissolved in Akron.
Although the construction of new airships ceased by 1936, the Guggenheim Institute continued operations for another 17 years. By 1949, however, the University of Akron could no longer cover its $123,000 annual costs. Over its lifetime, the institute oversaw 125 research contracts—many of them top secret during WWII. After the war, with fewer contracts and lighter-than-air research shifting to Lakehurst, New Jersey, the institute transitioned to heavier-than-air studies. But by 1950, its facilities were repurposed for aviation training.
The idea for the Haunted School House came from Don Johns and his wife, Cindy, who were inspired by Scream in the Dark, a downtown Akron haunt that ran for six seasons starting in 1969.
The Haunted School House officially launched in 1974 when Don teamed up with Pat Masturzo and leased the building from the Akron Board of Education. Together, they created a three-floor haunted attraction filled with mazes and dungeons. The venue included a 1,500-seat party hall, a restaurant, free babysitting, uniformed police, and 50 live monsters, all for just $2.75. Their bold tagline promised: “You’ll never see a school like this one.”
That first season was a mad dash. Don had just 30 days to build sets, make costumes, advertise, secure insurance, and hire staff. Yet the attraction was an instant hit, quickly becoming an Akron tradition and helping shape the haunted house industry. Inside, guests encountered Dracula’s castle, Frankenstein’s lab, cemeteries, a country cabin, and the Evil King’s Dungeon of Terror, all featuring Hollywood-style sets and lighting.
By 1981, the operation expanded into the Guggenheim building, reborn as the Haunted Laboratory. Today, visitors cross the top of the original wind tunnel—now enhanced with lasers for a dizzying effect, and explore four more stories of terror. Highlights include a spinning black hole, a towering 10-foot Tesla coil almost zapping you, and chaotic science experiments gone wrong.
As of 2025, the Haunted School House has run for 51 consecutive years. It’s often cited as the longest-running haunted attraction in the country to never relocate or skip a season. Combined, the School House and Laboratory deliver seven floors of frights.
Don passed away in May 2013, but flowers from his funeral were placed in some of his favorite sets. His talent for sketching entire haunted scenes and bringing them to life made him legendary. After Don’s death, Cindy made it her top priority to keep their dream alive and to find someone to continue the haunt. In 2017, she sold the property to John Eslich, owner of Canton’s Factory of Terror, which has earned the Guinness World Record for the longest indoor haunted attraction on three separate occasions. After the sale, Cindy retired to Florida. Today, John Eslich has made many great updates to both locations while maintaining their historical heritage.
The two attractions offer different flavors of fear: the School House pays homage to classic horror, while the Laboratory dives into sci-fi nightmares. And that’s the story of how a former school and a historic airship research institute became one of the most iconic haunted attractions in America, and a yearly tradition for many locals.
Did you know the Laboratory was once an airship research institute and has a massive airship tribute on the back of the building facing the airdock called the Fulton Angel? Or that it features the only 10-sided structure in the state of Ohio, a dodecagon? What’s your favorite—the Haunted School House or the Laboratory? Drop your pick in the comments!
Got a quirky piece of Summit County history? We’d love to hear it. If you enjoyed this video, hit like and subscribe for more deep dives into local history. Thanks for watching—and don’t forget to get out there and explore!
Fun fact: On February 12, 1987, two burglars broke into the School House to hide from police. They smashed a window and tried to take cover inside the haunted halls.
Website: https://www.hauntedschoolhouse.com
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