Family of Fear

For 19-year-old Tyler Macke, the Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town is home.

As a child, Tyler led guests through the annual, haunted Halloween attraction as one of the Forest's silent grim reaper guides, alongside his father and head reaper, Greg Macke. In the years since, Tyler has grown to take charge of designing the Haunted Ghost and ensuring the continued operation of the haunt throughout each scare season.

The land and accompanying village that makes up the Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town was first built in the mid-1960s by Burton J. Gerhardt, a former employer of Greg. Upon Gerhardt's death in 1984, the land was sold and the 1,000-acre property is now owned by East Perry Lumber Co.

The Mackes now lease 50 acres of that land, with Greg living on and caring for the village portion of Black Forest for nearly 30 years.

Initially, Greg used the villages at Black Forest as a venue for a variety of annual craft shows. At one show, he met basket weaver Darla Macke, who he'd then marry.

Gate attendant Darla Macke, right, straps a doctor's mask onto her son, Cody, as he prepares to scare guests in a hospital scene Oct. 12, at Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town.

Although the Black Forest craft shows that brought the couple together eventually fell to the wayside, the family maintains its roots at Black Forest by focusing their energy on the homemade Haunted Ghost Town year-round.

"It does make me sad, because a lot of our demonstrating crafters that had been here, we had known for years. Some of them had stayed with us in our house for those weekends -- we ate together, we would sit around the campfire at night. So there's a lot of that I miss," Darla said. "I hate that the craft shows are gone, but the weather -- we had so many problems with weather cooperating. So many people will come out on a night like tonight with the misty rain and the cold to stand in line to get scared."

This year marks the Haunted Ghost Town's 24th year of operation, and each Macke family member has settled into his or her own role with the haunt.

Darla operates the entry gate. From there, groups of six to eight guests are met by either Greg or one of the Forest's other silent grim reaper guides who lead each group to and through haunted attraction.

"You have a lot of people that want to try and make you talk," Greg said. "You have some who start telling you jokes and try and get you to laugh, and stuff like that."

ABOVE: Tyler Macke talks to a coworker over walkie talkie at Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town before opening the attraction to guests for the evening. TOP RIGHT: Black Forest owner Greg Macke has his face painted before serving as one of the Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town grim reapers. BOTTOM RIGHT: The butcher's shop is shown

The Haunted Ghost Town is engineered and overseen by Tyler, with help from his brother.

The attraction itself is an intricate, annually adjusted design with more than 30 actors and a growing number of mechanized and pneumatic props that are custom-built by the Mackes.

"We're very resourceful -- well, we try to be at least," Tyler said. "A lot of the bigger haunts, they'll drop anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 per prop. We can do it for a fifth of the price."

While the family holds back on expenses, they're not frugal with fright. Inexpensive, yet effective scares can be found throughout the Haunted Ghost Town in forms like loud bangs from drop windows, claustrophobic hallways built from wooden pallets and remotely triggered devices around nearly every corner.

The Mackes maximize the efficiency of their property with ingenuity and dedication. As each year begins to wind down, the family wastes no time in beginning planning the next year's haunt.

Black Forest owner Greg Macke has his face painted on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, before serving as one of the Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town grim reapers.BEN MATTHEWS

"Once you start working on it, the wheels just start turning," Darla said. "I might think I'm done with a room, then a month later think to add one more thing. We like a lot of details."

Darla only has two rules -- only traditional Halloween themes and no chainsaws. Judging by attendance, they haven't needed the gimmicks to keep customers coming back.

"We were up about 30 to 40 percent [attendance] last year," Tyler said. "Last year we added 8,000 square-feet of the farm. To see all that come together and finally be ready, and then to see everybody enjoy it. I love the crowd reaction, I love when people are happy about coming through."

bmatthews@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3852

The butcher's shop is seen on Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, at Black Forest Haunted Ghost Town.BEN MATTHEWS

Pertinent address: 2728 County Road 638, Cape Girardeau, MO, 63701