Jim LaCourse Moves East Montpelier Haunt to New Barn

Jim LaCourse has relocated his annual haunted attraction to a larger space in East Montpelier. The event, known as Jim'sville Haunted Barn, opened in the barn of neighbor Charles, a local producer of Green Mountain Jerky. The new location sits along Route 14, positioned after the humane society and before the Crossroads Christian Church.

LaCourse developed the Jim'sville western town roughly 13 years ago. He built the site with a general store, a town clerk, and a motel. For many years, the haunted house operated on that property. LaCourse said he stopped using the original site because of weather issues that damaged his equipment. This year, he secured the two-week setup period in Charles' barn to build a maze-like experience.

The attraction operates in the final week of October. LaCourse runs a mobile home repair business with more than 30 years of experience. He also runs a catering business, which he said he is currently prioritizing alongside the haunted barn. He described the barn setup as a complex path for visitors to navigate.

The event raises money for the Children's Miracle Network in Boston. LaCourse stated he participates for the enjoyment of scaring people and to help the charity. He said hearing visitors scream confirms he has done his job correctly. The barn features loud horror sounds and visual scares designed to frighten guests.

Local producer Erica Heilman reported on the attraction after visiting on a Saturday night. She noted that she typically avoids haunted houses but stopped to investigate because of her reporting duties. She found the barn while driving to Barre and recognized it as LaCourse's haunt. The location is distinct from the original Jim'sville site, which remains a developed western town in the area.