By Jorge B. Torres
It seems that everyone is aware that Halloween is creeping on us around the corner. Just to get in the Halloween spirit, I will be taking us on a little adventure. I am sure everyone is familiar with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Oh yes, we are definitely going there, to the real house in Kingsland, Texas. My good friend and radio host at La Mandamas, Jackie Herrera is tagging along on this creepy adventure. We both wanted to do something for Halloween. We wanted to get your Halloween spirit on and thought about taking you to real haunted houses, abandoned places, or old graveyards until we bumped into the Texas Chainsaw Massacre online. The house used in the 1974 film is currently a dining restaurant. It is called the Grand Central Café. I reached out to them,
“Hello thank you for calling Grand Central Café, this Jessica how may I help you?”
“Hello, My name is Jorge and I am a Texas State student and I am working on a project for my Multimedia Journalism class. I was wondering If it will be okay to do a story about the Dining of the restaurant next week Thursday or Friday?”
Jessica: “Yes that would be fine.”
Jorge: “Will it be okay to take video and photos?”
Jessica: “Yes I don’t see why not, we do come up in magazines and stuff.”
Jorge: “Sounds good, perhaps you can help us with an interview as well?”
Jessica: “Sure, we actually have a server who knows all about the house and she gives our customers tours.”
Jorge: “Wow that is awesome, it works out perfectly.”
Jessica: “Great, awesome we’ll see you next week, Thursday or Friday you said?”
Jorge: “Yes, thank you very much!”
Jackie: “We should go Thursday.”
Jorge: “Have you seen the movie?”
Jackie: “I’ve seen the recent one.”
Jorge: “No, you have to see the first one in order to familiarize yourself with the house.”
Jackie: “Oh ok, I thought it was the same one.”
Jorge: “No, the other one is in Georgetown, but that’s for another day.”
Jackie: “This is going to be so much fun. We have to do it professionally because this is definitely going on YouTube!”
The Sawyer family home stood on Quick Hill Road, Round Rock, I-35, what is known today as La Frontera, about ten miles north of Austin, Texas. In 1998, after falling into disrepair, it was dismantled and transported to the grounds of The Antlers Hotel, 1001 King Street, Kingsland, Texas.
Inspired by a true story, both Tobe Hooper’s original 1974 film and the 2003 Marcus Nispel remake are only lightly based on the real-life murderer Ed Gein, who is suspected to have taken several victims between 1954 and 1957.
Ed Gein – Texas Chainsaw Massacre – The True Story. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2020, from http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/texaschainsaw.php
Filming Locations for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), in Texas. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2020, from http://movie-locations.com/movies/t/Texas-Chain-Saw-Massacre-1974.php
It sounds like you and Jackie are diving into a fascinating and spooky adventure exploring the real-life location of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in Kingsland, Texas! From interviewing at the Grand Central Café to capturing video and photos, your multimedia journalism project promises to uncover some chilling stories. Best of luck with your Halloween-themed exploration wait to see the final YouTube video!