In 1928, the "most documented exorcism in history," and the last known to be performed in Iowa, occurred over 23 days right here in our little corner of Iowa. The affair took place in Earling, and inspired a lot of modern supernatural media, with the records taken during the ordeal serving as one of the basis for much of the modern supernatural lore in the United States.
During the exorcism, four spirits were expelled from the victim. Two of them were her father, Jacob, who had cursed her, and her aunt, Mina, who was a witch. These two spirits were greatly weakened by the ritual expulsion and the power of the priest and the church, but now, nearly 100 years later, they have gained back some strength. They do not yet have enough power to affect the living as they once did, but by joining their power together, they have succeeded in unleashing a powerful curse. The old and unmoving artifacts here in the Shelby County Historical Museum have taken the brunt of the curse.
The curse was discovered when the museum director came in one morning and found mannequins had spread around the museum, appearing out of the corner of her eye whenever she lowered her guard. The curse is luckily still weak, but as winter approaches and the veil between worlds weakens, as the most haunted night of the year draws nearer, the curse will grow drastically in power. Already, the director is beginning to hear movement around the building when she looks away. On October 30, the day before All Hallows' Eve, our exhibits will come alive, and evil spirits will prowl in the shadows. At dawn on Halloween, the curse becomes permanent, but it cannot be broken until it truly activates. We only have one night to figure out how to break the curse.
Join us for a night of frightful fun on October 30th at 6:30 PM! This free event combines the spooky scares of a haunted house with the fun and wit of an escape room and the entertaining education of a museum.
Wander the darkened halls of the museum after hours, braving the monsters that lurk in the shadows and around corners. Speak with the exhibits that have come to life and learn about the history of Shelby County and its people in order to follow clues and solve riddles that take you all over time until you finally find the final clue to break the curse that has brought the museum and its shadows to life. And best of all, the premise of this event is based on events that actually happened right here in Shelby County, nearly 100 years ago!
Come in costume or in regular clothes. Bring some friends or come alone. Have fun and feel the fright as you learn about the people of our past!
Teams of up to 6 are allowed! Click here to sign up now!
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For questions or concerns, please contact us by emailing director@shelbycoiamuseum.org, calling (712) 755-2437, or by messaging us on Facebook or Instagram.
Will you be the one to find the answer and set us all free?
