BASTROP, Texas – It’s Friday the 13th and what better of a place to spend the superstitious day, than at the Gas Station from the 1974 cult classic, ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’
It’s the gas station that was reportedly out of gas, the place that became the scene setter in the horror film that set the gold standard for the slasher genre.
“Just talking about it the hair on my arms is standing up, you’re here, we embrace it, we love it,” explained Lisa Rose, co-owner of the Gas Station today. “We bought it in 2013.”
Rose and her husband restored the property back to its horror glory.
“It took us about two years to do construction, we built cabins outback, we had to redo the restaurant and the kitchen and redo a lot of work because it sat here for a long time. The original owner was a guy who washed… the window washer in the movie so payment to use this place was to be in the movie as the window washer.” Rose explained.
Whether slasher seekers plan to order BBQ from the kitchen, or chachkies from the souvenir shop...
“We have Chainsaw, Freddie, Chuckie, 80s horror stuff. We have an Annabelle doll and everyone says she moves and so we have to watch her.” Rose added.
A hot spot for members of the horror family and actors, the Gas Station also attracts ghost hunters.
“We have had two different sets of people come out and they say they feel things and they talk to a man named John I remember that very vividly, by these three ladies, and they said they talked to him all night.” said Rose.
Samantha Faye-Elders lives in North Yorkshire, England, and she also spent the night at the Gas Station.
“I want to meet Leatherface, just to say hello, I don’t really want to get killed by him, I just want to say hello to him. I am a massive horror fan, and I was like holy moly I need to go there. Amazing it’s literally bucket list; I will remember this forever,” she said.
Rose recently purchased the Black Maria from the final scene in the first ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ She says the semi spent the past 40 years inside an abandoned barn but is currently being restored.
“I enjoy visiting with people. I am a people person, and when they walk in the door and they’re like awe… it is awesome. They’re here and they are happy.” Rose said.
Bill Johnson who plays Leatherface in “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2″ will be at the Gas Station on May 21 signing autographs. For more information on events and cabin bookings at the Gas Station, click here.