Field of Screams: From Farm to Fright

Located in Mountville, Pennsylvania, Field of Screams is recognized as one of the United States’ most popular haunted attractions. Offering various experiences such as a haunted hayride and an eerie trip through an asylum, this destination attracts thousands of thrill-seekers each year. However, few visitors are aware of its origins as a working farm in Lancaster County.

Originally owned by Ed Schopf, the land operated as a farm raising crops and livestock. According to Jim Schopf, co-owner of the attraction and Ed’s son, the family history on the land began in 1964. “My dad bought the property,” he recounted. “We had asked Dad to take a piece of the property and raise some vegetables, do some truck farming.”

Jim, along with his brother Gene, cultivated sugar peas, watermelons, tomatoes, and spring onions, selling their produce via a roadside stand and directly to the local community. “I would peddle the produce through Mountville, just go around, knock on doors and ask people if they wanted fresh cantaloupes or watermelons,” Jim recalled.

Inspired by another haunted attraction from their youth, the brothers decided to use their earnings from farming to create a haunted hayride in 1993. “We pooled our resources together from produce selling and we bought some masks and costumes and some real cheap props,” explained Jim, “and made a very low budget hayride.”

The hayride found success, encouraging the Schopfs to expand. In 1995, they added the Den of Darkness in a barn on the property, and by 2002, the Frightmare Asylum made its debut, ceasing their previous teaching careers by 2003 to focus full-time on Field of Screams.

Reflecting on the transformation, Jim noted, “The queue line for the asylum used to be our pasture, and we parked cars there our first year. The whole property’s changed hundredfold.” The gradual conversion from farm to attraction led to a reduction in farming activity, though the Schopfs’ agricultural heritage continues. They still manage two Schopf Bros. locations offering sweet corn, pumpkins, and various vegetables.

Despite the shift in business, they maintain the character of the site by preserving the barns, which are over 100 years old, integrating them into the haunted experience. “They really add a lot of character to the haunted houses,” Jim said.

Central to the haunted hayride experience is a cornfield, covering approximately four acres. According to Jim, they plant corn annually around the third week of June, ensuring it is well irrigated. “We want to keep it green as long as possible,” he explained. “It still gives the feel of being on a farm and going through the hayride through a cornfield. We don’t want to lose that feel.”