OFFBEAT: Special thrills and chills showcased at Rosemont's 'Screams in the Park' haunted mansion

I'm not a huge fan of the haunted house experience.

In today's world of worry and scare tactics, newspaper headlines provide enough frightening reality to satisfy my senses.

But a new haunted house that's been attracting steady lines of fans this Halloween season is worth a visit to Rosemont, Ill.

It's a 30-minute walk-through and there are plenty of nightmare images at every corner.

I was amazed at how many creepy costumed workers were part of the show, carefully hidden along this impressive, Hollywood-style special effects indoor haunted experience.

But what I liked best is the theme is based on the man billed as "the first serial killer," H.H. Holmes, who lived in Chicago and stalked the fairgrounds of the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago for his victims.

The infamous Holmes, whose crimes were chronicled in the best-seller "Devil in the White City," is the basis for "SCREAMS in the Park at Rosemont," which concludes after Halloween night.

It is just west of River Road between Bryn Mawr and Balmoral avenues next to the Muvico cinema in Rosemont.

This is a chance to step back in time and visit a re-creation of Holmes' sprawling Gothic mansion, which outwardly appeared an inviting hotel for visitors to the Columbian Exposition but was designed specifically for Holmes to murder and dismember his hapless victims.

Even the bravest will find their courage tried as they explore Holmes' spooky, fog-filled secret passageways, gruesome torture chambers and vats of deadly, bubbling acid.

Dr. Henry Howard Holmes, whose real name was Herman Webster Mudgett, was one of America's first documented serial killers.

Masquerading as a caring doctor, welcoming innkeeper and loving husband, Holmes built his "murder castle" in 1893, the year of the World's Fair in Chicago.

Many of Holmes' murders were conducted within the stately walls of the mansion, which was just two miles from the fairgrounds. Though he confessed to 27 crimes, it is suspected he committed about 250.

The attraction's hours are 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday and 6 to 11 p.m. Sunday and Monday. General admission is $20, with a $30 VIP option.

The attraction is wheelchair-accessible. The thrills and chills of the mansion are open to all ages but parental discretion is advised (I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than 13). Visitors are encouraged to buy tickets online at screamsinthepark.com, but they are available on site. For more information, visit the website or call (847) 868-9279.

The venue is five minutes from O'Hare International Airport, close to downtown Rosemont and walking distance from the Rosemont stop on the CTA Blue Line and Metra station.

Parking is free with validation.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or (219) 852-4327.