Haunted House Like No Other, ‘Gothic Jail After Dark’ Returns in DeRidder

One of the most unique and authentic haunted houses in the state of Louisiana is returning this October as Gothic Jail After Dark in DeRidder is back.

The popular haunted house has not been held since 2019 due to the pandemic.

In case you aren't familiar with the venue and experience, here's what organizers have to say about the event:

Experience the haunting and historic Gothic Jail, where paranormal activity runs rampant and the walls hold secrets of a brutal murder, suicides and a double hanging. Walk the halls After Dark if you dare!

Admission to the haunted house is $15 per person and each individual will be required to sign a release of liability form before entering the premises. Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a consenting adult.

Gothic Jail After Dark will open on the following dates:

October 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 & 29 - 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm
October 31 (Halloween) - 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm

The Beauregard Parish-based jail is located at 205 W. 1st St. in DeRidder, Louisiana.

The history of this now-defunct jail is quite interesting. It was built in the early-1900s and was affectionately known by locals as The Hanging Jail. It is also known as The Gothic Jail for the "Collegiate Gothic" style that the building was crafted in.

The inside of the jail is as majestic as the outside, featuring a separate bathroom in each cell and skylights in the cells on the top floor of the building. These amenities were unheard of at the time.

However, the jail still featured hard steel bunks accommodating about a dozen inmates in each cell and a long dark tunnel connecting the jail to the courthouse so there was no interaction between inmates and the public.

There are three floors in the building. The bottom floor housed the Jailer's quarters and offices while the second and third floors each hold four cells, each opening out onto the spiral staircases that sit in the center of the building.

The Gothic Jails is opened during the year for daytime tours, and on certain days, a Lights Out Lantern Tour is offered. However, those tours are on hold until after October due to the haunted house.