Famous Towns From Horror Movies Crime Maps
In a search to see if SpotCrime mapped crime in the most infamous fictional horror movie towns, we found out that most of the towns were fictional (thank goodness)! Below are some of the scariest movies you can watch this Halloween season and the towns where each story may have taken place.
Interested in finding crime in your real life hometown? Check out SpotCrime! Don’t see crime on the map? Let us know and let your police department know. We will map crime and send out email alerts for free. And make sure to check out your local SpotCrime map before you head out this Halloween. Stay aware and stay safe!
Halloween: Haddonfield, IL
Paranormal Activity: San Diego, CA
Don’t believe in the supernatural? You might after watching the original Paranormal Activity movie. The main character claims an evil presence has been following her since childhood and when they move into their new home in San Diego, the couple sets up a camera to record activity to find out what is haunting them while they sleep. Each night the haunting caught on
video is silent and slow moving, making the movie creepier and scarier as the plot unfolds.
San Diego is a real place (duh), however the story is not based on a true story. The house used in the movie is in Ranchos Penasquitos community on Bavarian Drive.
Amityville Horror: Amityville, NY
Interested in finding crime in your real life hometown? Check out SpotCrime! Don’t see crime on the map? Let us know and let your police department know. We will map crime and send out email alerts for free. And make sure to check out your local SpotCrime map before you head out this Halloween. Stay aware and stay safe!
Halloween: Haddonfield, IL
On Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers murdered his sister with a butcher knife. Fifteen years later, Michael escapes the mental institution he’s been held since the murder and returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, IL. This plot created the installment of the Halloween franchise to come.
Although Haddonfield, IL is not a real place, Haddonfield, NJ, is real. It's right outside of Cherry Hill, NJ. However, most of Halloween was shot in California neighborhood and the houses are all real houses that are located in Hollywood and South Pasadena, CA.
Friday the 13th: Camp Crystal Lake in Wessex County, NJ
A boy, Jason Vorhees, drowns at Camp Crystal Lake while at camp leaving the lake cursed decades later. Jason returns and kills off teenagers one by one who attempted to open the abandoned campground. The movie is the basis for a long series of sequels.
The names of places are made up, however the movie was filmed in New Jersey. Camp Crystal Lake is a made up name, but there is a real life functioning Boy Scouts camp in Hardwick Twp, NJ called Camp NoBeBoSco in Essex County (not Wessex). It doesn’t have a Crystal Lake, but it does have Sand Pond. Blairstown, NJ and Hope, NJ are other areas in New Jersey where filming took place.
Children of the Corn: Gatlin, NE
Kids turn against adults in this Stephen King thriller. Yikes.
Gatlin is not a real place, but it’s thought the movie is based on the NE area. Some of the scenes were shot in Hornick, Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, IA, as well as Hemingford, NE.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Central Texas
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, often described as one of the scariest films of all time, was banned in seven countries because of it’s violent scenes when it was first released in 1978. The original movie has led to a franchise with a cult following embellishing the Leatherface character and his family. It also points out a good reason to not pick up hitchhikers.
Based in Central Texas, the plot is not actually based on a true story. A city name is not given but the original was filmed off of Quick Hill Road in Round Rock, TX. The writers were said to be inspired by violence that was occurring in San Antonio and Houston, TX at the time.
The Ring: Pacific Northwest
You watch a video tape and you die. This movie made everyone think twice about watching that unmarked VHS tape.
There is no town location specifically stated for the setting, but from the conifer trees and foggy/cloudy/raining setting, it’s obvious this movie is set in the Pacific North West. Some actual filming locations include Deception Pass Bridge connecting Island and Skagit Counties in Washington state, Snohomish County, WA, Seattle, and Asotria, OR.
The Shining: Overlook Hotel
A writer, takes a job as hotel curator over the winter season, becomes possessed by the ghosts in the hotel and begins to go crazy and attempts to kill his family. REᗡЯUM REᗡЯUM REᗡЯUM
The location of Overlook Hotel is not stated in the movie, however most Stephen King buffs assume location is somewhere in Maine where most of King’s movies take place. The real hotel, known as Stanley Hotel, is in Estes Park, CO overlooking Rocky Mountain National Park. Other filming locations included Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon and the famous maze scenes were filmed in Elstree Studios in London, England.
Although Haddonfield, IL is not a real place, Haddonfield, NJ, is real. It's right outside of Cherry Hill, NJ. However, most of Halloween was shot in California neighborhood and the houses are all real houses that are located in Hollywood and South Pasadena, CA.
Friday the 13th: Camp Crystal Lake in Wessex County, NJ
A boy, Jason Vorhees, drowns at Camp Crystal Lake while at camp leaving the lake cursed decades later. Jason returns and kills off teenagers one by one who attempted to open the abandoned campground. The movie is the basis for a long series of sequels.
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| Crime mapped on SpotCrime around Camp NoBeBoSco |
The names of places are made up, however the movie was filmed in New Jersey. Camp Crystal Lake is a made up name, but there is a real life functioning Boy Scouts camp in Hardwick Twp, NJ called Camp NoBeBoSco in Essex County (not Wessex). It doesn’t have a Crystal Lake, but it does have Sand Pond. Blairstown, NJ and Hope, NJ are other areas in New Jersey where filming took place.
Nightmare on Elm Street: Springwood, OH
Freddy Krueger haunts victims who live on Elm Street in their dreams and kills them one by one. You won't want to go to sleep after watching this horror flick.
Springwood, OH, a fictional place, is thought to represent many midwestern towns in the US. The house is real, but it's located in West Hollywood.
Children of the Corn: Gatlin, NE
Kids turn against adults in this Stephen King thriller. Yikes.
Gatlin is not a real place, but it’s thought the movie is based on the NE area. Some of the scenes were shot in Hornick, Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, IA, as well as Hemingford, NE.
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| Recent crimes around Quick Hill Rd in Round Rock |
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, often described as one of the scariest films of all time, was banned in seven countries because of it’s violent scenes when it was first released in 1978. The original movie has led to a franchise with a cult following embellishing the Leatherface character and his family. It also points out a good reason to not pick up hitchhikers.
Based in Central Texas, the plot is not actually based on a true story. A city name is not given but the original was filmed off of Quick Hill Road in Round Rock, TX. The writers were said to be inspired by violence that was occurring in San Antonio and Houston, TX at the time.
The Ring: Pacific Northwest
You watch a video tape and you die. This movie made everyone think twice about watching that unmarked VHS tape.
 |
| Crime near Deception Pass Bridge |
There is no town location specifically stated for the setting, but from the conifer trees and foggy/cloudy/raining setting, it’s obvious this movie is set in the Pacific North West. Some actual filming locations include Deception Pass Bridge connecting Island and Skagit Counties in Washington state, Snohomish County, WA, Seattle, and Asotria, OR.
The Shining: Overlook Hotel
A writer, takes a job as hotel curator over the winter season, becomes possessed by the ghosts in the hotel and begins to go crazy and attempts to kill his family. REᗡЯUM REᗡЯUM REᗡЯUM
The location of Overlook Hotel is not stated in the movie, however most Stephen King buffs assume location is somewhere in Maine where most of King’s movies take place. The real hotel, known as Stanley Hotel, is in Estes Park, CO overlooking Rocky Mountain National Park. Other filming locations included Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood in Oregon and the famous maze scenes were filmed in Elstree Studios in London, England.
Psycho: Phoenix, AZ
When a secretary steals $40,000 from her employer and skips town to meet up with her boyfriend, she
comes across a disturbed motel owner, Norman Bates, and his split personality disorder which makes him believe he is his mother, whom he murdered several years earlier in the Alfred Hitchcock film.
Phoenix is a real place. Norman Bates was inspired by a real murderer, Ed Gein, who was known for murders and body snatching in the Plainfield, WI area. The town in which Bates Motel is located in the movie isn’t stated, and the motel location was actually filmed at the Universal Studios lot.
When a secretary steals $40,000 from her employer and skips town to meet up with her boyfriend, she
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| Crime in Phoenix, AZ |
Phoenix is a real place. Norman Bates was inspired by a real murderer, Ed Gein, who was known for murders and body snatching in the Plainfield, WI area. The town in which Bates Motel is located in the movie isn’t stated, and the motel location was actually filmed at the Universal Studios lot.
Paranormal Activity: San Diego, CA
Don’t believe in the supernatural? You might after watching the original Paranormal Activity movie. The main character claims an evil presence has been following her since childhood and when they move into their new home in San Diego, the couple sets up a camera to record activity to find out what is haunting them while they sleep. Each night the haunting caught on
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| Crime around Bavarian Dr in San Diego, CA |
San Diego is a real place (duh), however the story is not based on a true story. The house used in the movie is in Ranchos Penasquitos community on Bavarian Drive.
Amityville Horror: Amityville, NY
One of the only stories listed here based on a true story, the movie is based on real life paranormal experiences of the Lutz family after they moved into a house on Ocean Ave in Amityville, NY on Long Island. The Lutz family moved out of the house after 28 days claiming they were terrorized by the paranormal spirits
possibly from a murder that occurred in the house. Thirteen months before the Lutz family moved in, Ronald DeFeo, Jr. shot and killed six family members in their sleep.
The Amityville Horror house still stands today, however, the street address has been changed. We have the shooting mapped on SpotCrime.
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| Amityville DeFeo Shooting |
The Amityville Horror house still stands today, however, the street address has been changed. We have the shooting mapped on SpotCrime.
The Exorcist: Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Another movie based on a true story and real places, a young girl is possessed by a demon and her family tries to get ride of the demon by means of an exorcism. The story itself is not real, but it is based on a true exorcism story of Roland Doe in in the DC/Maryland area. His exorcism took place at Georgetown University Hospital.
Another movie based on a true story and real places, a young girl is possessed by a demon and her family tries to get ride of the demon by means of an exorcism. The story itself is not real, but it is based on a true exorcism story of Roland Doe in in the DC/Maryland area. His exorcism took place at Georgetown University Hospital.
The locations are real - who could ever forget those Georgetown steps the priest was thrown down? They are in fact real steps!
Child’s Play: "Lakeshore Strangler Chicago, IL
Official tag lines of the film include ‘You’ll wish it was only make-believe’ and ‘Something’s moved in with the Barclay family, and so has terror’. A movie about the ‘Lakeshore Strangler’ serial killer who
transfers his soul into a ‘Good-Guy’ doll in order to seek revenge and murder more victims ends up in the hands of a 6-year-old.
Some of the filming occurred at the Brewster Apts on 2800 N. Pine Grove Avenue, Lake View, Chicago. Chicago is a real place. 6-year-old kids are real. And 6-year-old kids who want ‘Good-Guy’ dolls are real (ever heard of a ‘My Buddy’ doll?). But it’s all make-believe, right?
Child’s Play: "Lakeshore Strangler Chicago, IL
Official tag lines of the film include ‘You’ll wish it was only make-believe’ and ‘Something’s moved in with the Barclay family, and so has terror’. A movie about the ‘Lakeshore Strangler’ serial killer who
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| Crime around Brewster Apts in Chicago |
Some of the filming occurred at the Brewster Apts on 2800 N. Pine Grove Avenue, Lake View, Chicago. Chicago is a real place. 6-year-old kids are real. And 6-year-old kids who want ‘Good-Guy’ dolls are real (ever heard of a ‘My Buddy’ doll?). But it’s all make-believe, right?
Saw: Buffalo, NY
A serial killer, known as Jigsaw, plans intricate scenarios for
people he thinks deserve to be punished. Jigsaw doesn’t actually kill his victims, instead his plans include ways for them to kill themselves or other people.
A serial killer, known as Jigsaw, plans intricate scenarios for
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| Buffalo, NY Crime map |
There is no real setting stated in the movie, but most Saw movie buffs claim most of the setting/filming occurred in Buffalo and Erie County, NY, both of which are real places.
BOO! Happy Halloween!
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