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SPOOK LAKE CITY — Utah has been a popular filmmaking location for decades, and horror directors are no stranger to our picturesque state.
Just this year, the horror film “Hereditary” was filmed in locations around Park City and Salt Lake City.
“Recognizing a film’s eerie whereabouts is guaranteed to make you jump,” Utah Film Commission Director Virginia Pearce said in an emailed statement.
Hundreds of scary movies and TV shows have been filmed in Utah, according to the film commission. Here are six locations in Utah that have served as the backdrop for some spooktacular films over the years.
Tooele County Old Hospital
The building was originally built in 1873 by Samuel F. Lee, who used it as a residence for his family, according to Tooele County historical records. The building later served as a home for the elderly and a hospital.
“The Stand,” based on the Stephen King novel, used the hospital as a filming location, as did “The World’s Fastest Indian,” according to the Utah Film Commission. Now, part of the building is used as the Asylum 49 haunted house, according to the film commission.
The Great Saltair
Now used for concerts and other events, the Saltair pavilion was built in 1893 as a place for families to visit and view the Great Salt Lake. It’s been rebuilt several times after three different fires, according to the Saltair website. The Saltair has served as backdrops for several movies, including the 1962 horror film “Carnival of Souls,” according to the Utah Film Commission.
Olmsted Station Powerhouse
Built in 1904 near the mouth of Provo Canyon in Orem, the hydroelectric powerhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and still provides power to parts of Utah County, according to the Utah Film Commission. Parts of “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers” were filmed at the powerhouse.
Cottonwood Paper Mill
Construction on the mill, which is also known as the Granite Paper Mill or the Deseret News Paper Mill, was completed in 1883 near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, according to historic documents. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
It operated as a mill for about 10 years until a fire decimated the building in 1893, according to National Register of Historic Places documents. Parts of “Halloween 5” also were filmed at the mill, according to the Utah Film Commission. It was also used as a haunted house in the 1970s, according to the film commission.
Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility
The water facility is surrounded by the Central Valley Golf Course. The facility was used as a filming location for “Halloween 5,” as well as the sci-fi B movie “Ice Spiders,” according to the film commission.
Larkin Sunset Gardens
The Sandy graveyard and mortuary is the setting for several early scenes in the horror movie “Hereditary,” which came out earlier this year. The movie was filmed in several other Utah locations, including Park City and South Temple in Salt Lake City, according to IMDB.
