Carpenter Tower is one of Marquette’s oldest residence halls, and it has had its fair share of haunted rumors. However, I saw those rumors become a reality on Oct. 28, as the building’s basement was transformed into a free-to-attend haunted house for students to celebrate Halloween.
This is the first year the residence hall has held this event after a five-year hiatus. Originally an annual event for Carpenter Tower, the COVID-19 pandemic halted the Halloween festivities. However, due to the interest of the resident assistants and staff, Carpenter decided to revive the tradition for the 2025 Halloween season.
The event went from 7 to 9 p.m., and 240 students came to the residence hall to experience the spectacle, with the line often extending out the door of the building.
When I first heard about the event, my expectations were relatively low. But upon arriving at Carpenter Tower, I realized my suspicions were incorrect.
Groups were guided through the haunted house by Carpenter Tower student staff members. Student guides informed me before we went through the basement that the scariest spots would be the front and the back of the line. Being brave, my friend and I decided to take one for the team and stick at the end of our group.
Immediately upon leaving the waiting area, I was already antsy for what was to come. While being guided down the well-lit staircase, I initially felt safe. But my sense of safety was quickly lost when, all of a sudden, a student with clown makeup jumped out from the other side of the staircase and followed us down to the main area.
From that moment on, the scares only intensified.
Through the dimly lit halls of the Carpenter Tower basement, I was continuously watching my back. The terrors of the night included a “Leatherface”-like character, a scene of an experimental surgery gone wrong and other masked characters jumping out from every corner.
Despite their convincing theatrics, all of the scare actors were actually Carpenter Tower’s resident assistants. Even though many had little prior acting experience, each of them put on a truly frightening performance that solidified the haunted house as an unexpected horror.
The walk-through was relatively short, clocking in at about three minutes, but each second was filled with fright and anticipation.
Students were surprised by the dedication of the event, most of them being thoroughly scared themselves.
“I knew it was going to be scary, but I was not expecting that. It was absolutely incredible,” Arden Bursua, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said.
As students walked out of the basement, most of them were shaken up and needed a minute to catch their breath in the lobby. Jasmine Baptiste, a sophomore in the College of Communication, was one of many students who were frightened by the atmosphere of the haunted house.
“My legs are weak. I’m definitely sweating,” Baptiste said.
Because of the success of the haunted house, Graham Gorgas, Carpenter Tower’s residence hall director, sees a future for the residence hall in hosting more events.
“It was great to see the turnout,” Gorgas said. “And certainly, if people are willing to walk from Mashuda over here [and] if we can come up with an event that might bring people back, I’m happy to do so.”
Though no plans are concrete yet, he suggested a Cobeen and Carpenter block party that would take place in the buildings’ shared street. Gorgas also emphasized the importance of student interest and turnout for future events as the foundation for success.
To stay updated on Carpenter Tower’s events, follow its Instagram page @mu_carpenter_tower. For more information about Marquette’s residence halls, follow @mureslife.
This article was written by Elise Emery. She can be reached at [email protected].
