Written by Kendyl Cardwell
One of Clermont’s most disturbing tales began over 100 years ago in 1908 when a couple, Sarah and Isham Stewart, first moved to Lake County. Only 10 years after their arrival, they were murdered in their sleep by their grandson, Joshua Tucker, with the help of his friend, John Tucker. They absconded the cash they were seeking and slipped out into the night, all to go buy a new Ford Truck for sale.
This frightening tale has slipped away relatively unrecognized among most current Clermont residents, except for one. Tory Grimes, owner of the Green Swamp Mafia business, recently caught wind of this story and has since been inspired to transform it into a unique haunted house experience.
The inspiration to turn the story into a haunted house was a collective effort from him and his team of 5 other people, including his wife Tracy Grimes, Paul and Susan Mendence, and Adam and Chaine Selley. “I love Lake County and everything about it, so I knew I wanted to keep it Lake County focused,” Grimes said. They only had roughly two weeks to put it all together… a quick turnaround that required a lot of hard work and collaboration. “We were here every day until 11 o’clock at night. We have been friends for so long that one person would have an idea and another person would have an idea, and we’d just combine them. Before we knew it, everything just fell in place,” they all remarked about the project set-up.
The result was a unique and exciting experience that gives participants a fun time while also revealing an interesting piece of Clermont’s history. The experience starts out with an ominous voice to set the scene: Clermont in 1918. As you make your way through the narrow walkways, you are met with many scares and spooky special effects. Throughout the house, you even come across John Tucker, the ax-wielding murderer, among other characters from this historic story. There are numerous different levels of “scare” to accommodate for everyone, including a full, medium, light, or lights-on experience (as well as an accommodation for those with autism).
Besides working with their friends, the group says that their favorite part is the and satisfaction they get out of seeing people having a great time. “I love it when kids walk out and thank us and say ‘oh my gosh that was so amazing’ and you see how much fun they had,” Tracey Grimes says.
One scarer, 12-year-old Troy Grimes Jr, also enjoys seeing the positive reactions: “It is fun to scare people, and I like hearing the screams because I know they are having a good time.” The funniest reaction they have witnessed was when a group, caught in between multiple scares, “decided they weren’t going through the pathway anymore and they actually made their own path!”, Susan Mendance recalled with a chuckle.
One of the most rewarding things about going through the haunted house, though, is knowing that the profits go towards a good cause. A percentage of the money made is donated to Tony Grime’s Charity, called the Green Swamp Charity: “It concentrates on helping the children of families who are suffering through a crisis by allowing a sense of normalcy. For example, if your friends are going to Chick-fil-A at a movie but don’t have the money, we can donate gift cards anonymously so it doesn’t seem like anything other than a normal Chick-Fil-A gift card.” This motivation stems from Grime’s own experience with a serious injury, which he says presented many challenges to himself and his family.
Another important goal Grimes hopes to accomplish through this event is to raise awareness for the Florida Green Swamp. The green swamp is comprised of 4 rivers spread out across central Florida that provide a vital water source for many people. “The Florida Green Swamp is the most credible water source in Florida but most people don’t even know what it is. We want to bring attention to how important the green swamp ecosystem is, and how it doesn’t only affect this area but all of Florida’s water supply.”
Grimes and the rest of the Green Swamp Crew are already looking forward to planning next year’s event, which will feature an even more elaborate setup and a different Lake County story. “You’re not going to want to miss it, because next time we will have a full year to prepare!” Grimes remarked with excitement. I know I can’t wait til next year’s event!
For further details, visit Nightmare in the Swamp
Kendyl Cardwell is a contributing feature writer for the SOUTH LAKE TABLET. Her articles spotlight students leading the way in South Lake. Kendyl, a student herself, has already proven her ability as a talented writer/reporter. The TABLET is fortunate to have her on our team.
