Scary Tale Tours: Short Story Competition

Short Story Competition: Scary Tale Tours 2027Deadline December 1, 2026Over the last five years, Hoyt Arts Center has been telling scary tales while touring visitors through the dimly lit halls of the Alex Crawford Hoyt Period Home around Halloween. Each room is staged as a scene from the selected stories, featuring objects, sounds and smells that bring them to life.For the third year, the Hoyt is hosting a Scary Tales Writing Competition to seek inspiration from original spine tingling tales for this year’s event. While competitive, the opportunity is open to teens and adults and is a great way for both emerging and seasoned authors to gain experience and increase exposure. Winning stories will be shared in print with those that attend.Details:The rules to enter are relatively simple. Choose a room within the house on which to base your story and keep it under 1500 words, or 10 minutes when read. Then submit your story online. Room options include: the grand hall, living room, master bedroom, Crawford’s bedroom, guest bedroom or kitchen.There is no entry fee, but the deadline is December 1, 2026. Five winning entries will receive $200 and an invitation to attend the dress rehearsal on in October 2027. The Hoyt reserves the right to edit winning entries as needed for the tour. ApplyRoom DetailsStories should be set in one of the following rooms.Grand HallThe grand hall or entrance hall separates the dining room from the parlor. The walls feature book matched veneer paneling that runs from floor to ceiling. The south side of this room is dominated by three arched French doors, which are flanked by two 19th Century Imari Japanese floor vases. The large space was suited to accommodating guests while the butler sought out the masters of the house. Historically, entrance halls were elaborately appointed and a bench or chairs were often present. The staircase served as a focal point with impressive carvings.The Living Room“Parlor” was a term commonly used in America to refer to the reception room or sitting room. It was used by families to socialize with guests. This was a very ornate and well-furnished room, usually accessible from the main hallway to the house. Also called the Drawing Room, ladies might sit here together after dinner as the men remained around the Dining Room table. The room features a Jacobean parlor piano that has been converted into a desk and a phonograph is similar to one owned by the family. A large sandstone fireplace dominates the room between two French doors leading to the sunporch. This fireplace is one of seven throughout the home. The wall coverings were replaced in the 1980s with a damask that resembles the original pattern. The mahogany bookcase to the right still holds Crawford’s collection of books and novels. Careful inspection of the cabinet’s doors will reveal masonic symbols in the leadwork, reflecting Crawford’s connection to freemasonry. He was a member of the Holy Royal Arch Chapter.June's BedroomThe use of this spacious primary bedroom with adjoining bathroom has evolved over time. By the early 20th Century, America replaced chamber pots, for example, with adjacent bathrooms. Dressing rooms became common. The focal point of the Hoyts’ Primary Bedroom is a carved fireplace accented with Corinthian columns. Its design was influenced by June Hoyt and the floral pattern on the fireplace tile was chosen to match the original draperies. The color scheme is more reflective of the tastes of the 1920s, which were dominated by florals and pastels.StudyThe sitting room or study was a private space between chambers where family members could gather to converse, read books, play games, listen to music, work on the household accounts, or have tea. The large roll top desk originally sat in Crawford’s downtown bank office. On it is a glass inkwell and ledger used to record daily household transactions. The artwork in this room is predominantly oriental, reflecting the exotic tastes of the era. The carved bookshelf originally sat in Hoyt East, but was relocated to Hoyt West during renovations.Crawford's BedroomCrawford’s personal quarters feature an exquisite late 19th Century Eastlake bedroom suite. Eastlake was a design movement that included classic design elements without the ostentatiousness of the earlier Victorian period. It is appropriate to the period of the house although the Hoyt’s themselves tended to favor the heavier carved antiques of earlier periods. Single beds and/or separate bedrooms were common by the 1920s and were promoted by the medical profession for good health. The masculine color scheme was inspired from the patterned curtains that once hung in this room. Note the heavy cornices and brass push button switches. An interior door leads to a shared bath equipped with a pedestal sink and sit-down shower.‍KitchenThe kitchen is where meals were prepared for the family and for elaborate dinner parties. Mrs. Hoyt was certainly not out of place in the kitchen, but instead enjoyed baking breads, cakes, and deserts. Adjacent to this room is the Butler’s Pantry and refrigeration room, a modern novelty at the time. Mrs. Hoyt referred to this area as the “cool room.” The freestanding refrigerator, serves as an example of modern appliances in the 1920s.Other notable features include the glazed brick walls selected to prevent grease fires and one of the region’s earliest examples of fluorescent lighting over the table. Often called subway tile, this wall covering has never gone out of vogue since the turn of the century. The room across from the basement door was used as a breakroom for staff.