The History of ‘Haunted Hill’
… And a timeline of significant Troy University campus beautification projects …
UPDATE (1:25 p.m.): I have addded a “Haunted Hill” gallery of photos from a REAL photographer - Troy University’s Joey Meredith. See the bottom of this dispatch for pictures of these very cute local children.
By BILL RICE, JR.
For decades, thousands of local residents have enjoyed Troy University’s popular “Sorority Haunted Hill” annual event.
Barbara Patterson provided me the the history and back-story of this unique event.
Barbara, who retired as Troy University’s Director of Student Involvement and Leadership in June, told me the event started in 1986 at Pace Hall, the previous home of Troy University’s sororities.
According to Barbara, when she was an undergraduate at The University of Oklahoma, a campus group hosted a similar event. When she was hired at Troy in 1986, Patterson decided a similar event might be popular in Troy.
She said the event was conceived to be a fun event (or “gift”) for children of Troy University faculty and staff members, but quickly became popular with all families in the Troy area.
At the first event, sorority members simply decorated their halls with Halloween themes and provided candy for children of staff members.
“It was jam-packed the first year,” said Patterson, adding, “People love to do things for their children and, of course, people love Halloween.”
The event expanded significantly when Troy University purchased the former campus of the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home in 1997 and sororities moved into the cottages once occupied by Children Home children.
Since “Sorority Hill” includes expansive grounds, the students incorporated a variety of arts and crafts and carnival-type games for children.
And the sorority members, just like the children, had fun dressing up in their favorite costumes.
Patterson said sorority members have come up with some of “the most clever” and inspired Halloween costumes she’s ever seen.
“The (sorority members) love it and look forward to it every year,” she said.
By now, the event has become a popular annual tradition and Patterson said she loves “anything that becomes a tradition.”
“It’s been around so long now that many local residents who once attended as children now bring their own children,” she said.
Even today, the Panhellenic organization doesn’t advertise the event in the community (only on campus). However, word-of-mouth gets out and hundreds of local children show up every year.
“We’re happy so many people enjoy this event,” she said.
While sororities stage the event, college fraternity members also volunteer to help with the games and dress up as well.
The event entails extensive planning and full participation of sorority members, who come up with the games and provide all the Trick-or-Treat candy (which is not cheap these days).
“They don’t skimp on the candy,” laughed Patterson.
The event is typically held the Wednesday of Halloween week, but this year was moved up a week because Troy’s Homecoming is this week. Other campus groups have started similar events, including the Lady Trojans’ softball team right across the street.
Some years the softball team’s “Trunk or Treat” event is held at the same time as the “Haunted Hill” event, but not this year.
(See below, CHHS, just up the street, is debuting its own “Haunted Hayride” tonight.)
Editorial comment: Troy citizens benefit in many ways from living in a “college town.” Haunted Hill is one of many examples where Troy students, faculty and local citizens enjoy the gift of fond memories brought about this positive “town-gown” relationship.
Note: See more photos from last Thursday night’s “Haunted Hill” event at the bottom of a previous Troy Citizen dispatch.
***
By the Numbers …
9 - Number of Troy University sororities.
10 - Number of Troy University fraternities.
25 - Percent of Troy University students (at the Troy campus) who belong to a Greek organization.
150 - Number of student organizations affiliated with Troy University.
38 (and counting) - Number of years the “Sorority Haunted Hill” has been a local Halloween tradition.
*** (I appreciate new subscribers of the on-line Troy Citizen sharing these stories and photos via social media or subscribers’ email contacts.) ***
TROY Campus Transformation - A Timeline
- Research by Bill Rice, Jr.
A partial list of significant construction and renovation projects that have occurred in the 34-year tenure of President Jack Hawkins, Jr. shows the scope of the campus “transformation” or “beautification.”
1990 - Adams Center Performing Arts Theater opens, part of Adams Center renovation and expansion project
1994 - Cowart Hall dorm renovation completed
1996 -McCall Hall (Science building on main Quad) renovated & expanded
1997 - University acquires 12-acre campus of former Alabama Baptist Children’s Home, which becomes “Sorority Hill” (dedicated in 1999)
- Veterans Memorial Stadium expansion and improvements (capacity increases from
12,000 to 17,500)
- Hawkins-Adams-Long Hall of Honor dedicated
1998 - Pace Hall (Rotary International Living & Learning Center) renovation
Smith Hall renovation
1999 - Claudia Crosby Theater renovation
- Food court & fitness center added to Adams Center
2001 - Jimmy Lunsford Tennis Complex dedicated
2002 - Softball stadium dedicated
2003 - Veterans Memorial Stadium expansion/improvement - capacity now 30,00.
Soccer/Track Complex completed
Clements Hall dorm renovated
2004 - “Academic” or main Quad dedicated after major renovation
2005 - Dr. Douglas Patterson Academic Building dedicated
2007 - Trojan Village dorms (4) open
- Barnes & Nobles book store opens at Adams Center
2008 - Lott Baseball Complex dedicated at Riddle-Pace Field
2009 - Jack Hawkins, Jr. Hall dedicated (School of Education) at former cite of Dill Hall dormitory.
Bibb Graves Hall (now John Lewis Hall) Renovation & Expansion completed
2010 - Fraternity Village project (home to seven fraternity houses) is finished
Trojan Dining opens in new location on University Ave.
2012 - Trojan Arena dedicated
2013 - Newman Center dedicated
Trojan Oaks Golf Practice Facility opens
2014 - John M. Long Hall dedicated
Softball Stadium improvements named for Mike & Cindy Dodd
2015 - New Golf facility/building dedicated
2016 - New Hall (later re-named Rushing Hall) opens
2017 - Janice Hawkins Cultural Arts Park completed
2018 - North End Zone facility at Veterans Memorial Stadium completed
2020 - Trojan Fitness facility opens
2021 - Adams Center ballroom renovation project nears completion
2022-2023 - Elm Street sidewalk project improves pedestrian route from campus to downtown Troy.
2024 - $12-million renovation of Riddle-Pace Field is completed.
Lagoon-area Beautification Project commences.
- Beautification of brick wall of utility power station at intersection of George Wallace Ave. and Hwy 231 - the main entrance to Troy University - is completed.
- Jones Hall, the new Health and Human Services building, which will house the University’s acclaimed School of Nursing, nears completion.
- New Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences facility opens in September (Photo below).
"2024 Haunted Hill” Photos by Joey Meredith …
Note: I don’t have names of these very cute children. However, if someone knows the names of these children, you can add them in the Reader Comments or send me an email at wjrjicejunior@gmail.com and I’ll add their names as I get them).
(Readers can subscribe - for FREE, or for a monthly or annual donation - by clicking on this button. Anyone who would like to make a one-time “tip” of any amount to the author can use the Ko-Fi link).
SUBSCRIBER UPDATE: This post includes the first feature stories emailed to subscribers. Future stories will be a little more involved, but this was timely due to Halloween. I currently have 159 total subscribers, including 32 "paid" subscribers. Thank you very much for the early show of support. According to Substack metrics, my previous content already has approximately 2,400 page views. I'm depending on "article shares" and word-of-mouth advertising to spread the word on this "re-boot" of The Troy Citizen.
Also, note the "By-the-Numbers" sidebar I added. I love those and will try to include numeric facts as sidebars with many future stories.
Speaking of Halloween candy "not being cheap these days," my wife told me she saw a big bag of Halloween candy that was $25. I can't remember, but it seems to me a big bag of Halloween candy was only about $12 a year or so ago. Personally, I'm skeptical of these government numbers that say inflation is only 3 percent.
Anyway, the sorority members are spending a lot more for Halloween candy than they did a couple of years ago. I also wonder if more families that usually hand out trick-or-treat candy might refrain from this due to price spikes.
Comments and feedback on this question appreciated or welcome.