Gallows Creek

**Gallows Creek** is the main setting of *Killer Frequency*.

## History

Originally a popular challenge hunting ground during the American Frontier days, Gallows Creek is a small town in the state of Iowa with a population of just below 1000. Its founders and namesake was the Gallows family, who still hold major control over the town's industries, such as the local factory, Gallows and Sons, which employs more than 200 residents of the town, as well as the Gallows Creek Waste Disposal, which were ran by Theodore C. Gallows in the 1950's and, following his passing, his son Teddy Gallows Jr. in the 1980's. In 1987, the town's mayor was Linda Cartwright, with an election coming up, with Teddy Gallows Jr. as her opponent. The town motto is "A peaceful place to rest your bones".

In the 1950's, Gallows Creek was shaken by a series of murders, perpetrated by Edward Marshall Mooney, dubbed "The Whistling Man" for whistling a signature tune during the killings. After slaying a dozen people, on the night of September 2nd, 1958, the Whistling Man was caught by authorities and chased up to Ellis Point by the river and rather than face arrest, Mooney jumped off the cliff into the murky waters below. His body was never recovered and for his grisly deeds, the Whistling Man became immortalized as an urban myth that claims that Mooney survived the currents and is biding his time to continue his slaughter on the town.

Since a fateful high school party on September 2nd, 1968, local youths celebrate "Whistling Night", on which teenage pranksters don the Whistling Man's signature costume to stir trouble around town and prank call homes by whistling the Whistling Man's tune into the receiver.

The town also has its own radio station, KFAM on 189.16 - **THE SCREAM**.

## Places

* Ambrosia Hotel - possibly a reference to the second movie in the horror anthology *Kazuo Umezu's Horror Theater*, based on the works of Kazuo Umezu, who is one of the most well-known artists of horror manga
* The Barker Public Library - reference to horror writer and director Clive Barker
* Chalupacabra's (also known as Chalupacabras) - reference to the North American legendary creature El Chupacabra and the Mexican dish chalupa
* Christine's Gas & Repair - reference to the novel *Christine* by Stephen King and the film version by John Carpenter
* Cine Film Picture House - pleonasmic title for movie theatre
* Come On Inn - a pun on "come on in"
* Deerfall Welcome Center
* Doc's Pharmacy
* Gallows Creek Fire Department (also known as GCFD Fire Station)
* Gallows Creek High School
* The Gallows Reporter
* Gallows and Sons
* Gallows Creek Town Hall
* Giblet Field - reference to gore (giblet meaning intestines)
* Grilling Spree - a pun on "killing spree"
* Infinity Arcade - reference to *Infinity Pool*
* Ironside Power Station - reference to actor Michael Ironside, who portrayed serial killer Colt Hawker in *Visting Hours*
* Jazz Pizzazz Jazz Studios
* KFAM Radio Station
* Little Shop of Flowers - reference to the horror comedy movie *Little Shop of Horrors*
* Loramie Estate (also known as the Murder Mansion)
* Mac's Diner -reference to R.J. "Mac" Macready from John Carpenter's *The Thing*
* Sanders Drive-in Theatre - possibly a reference to actor Byron Sanders, who played the main character in *The Flesh Eaters*, one of the first horror films with gore
* Ponty's Pizza - reference to the horror movie *Pontypool*, which also has a radio station warning people about danger
* Price Slashers Supermarket - reference to slasher genre and "slasher sales", possibly from a line in the comedy movie *Hot Fuzz* ("*I'm a slasher! I must be stopped!* [...] *A slasher... of prices!"*)
* Rewind Video Rentals - possibly a reference to the horror movie *Videodrome*
* Ripley Records - reference to Ellen Ripley from *Alien*
* Rise & Shine Coffee
* Roller Ricky's Roller Rink
* Sheriff's Office
* St. Gabriel's Hospital
* St. Jason's Church - reference Jason Voorhees from the *Friday the 13th* franchise
* Trailer Park
* West Gallows Cemetary - reference to the novel *Pet Sematary* by Stephen King and the film version by Mary Lambert
* Wood Side Apartments - reference to the video game *Silent Hill 2*

## Streets

* Axe-Down Lane - self-explanatory
* Blake Avenue - Daphne Blake from the mystery horror lite cartoon *Scooby-Doo*
* Bond Street
* Carpenter Avenue - director John Carpenter
* Clark Road - horror director Bob Clark
* Craven Street - director Wes Craven
* Dinkly Drive - Velma Dinkley from *Scooby-Doo*
* Haddonfield Road - Haddonfield, the main setting of the *Halloween* franchise
* Hooper Street - director Tobe Hooper
* Jackson Street - director Peter Jackson, who directed horror films *Bad Taste*, *Braindead* a.k.a. *Dead Alive*, and *The Frighteners*.
* Jones Road - Fred Jones from *Scooby-Doo*
* King Avenue - writer Stephen King
* Loramie Way
* Mason Lane - Harry Mason from *Silent Hill* and Heather Mason from *Silent Hill 3*
* Macready Street - R. J. MacReady from *The Thing*
* Myers Lane - Michael Myers from *Halloween*
* Nancy Drive - Nancy Thompson from Wes Craven's horror film *Nightmare on Elm Street*
* Newsbury Lane
* Paragon Street
* Peele Street - horror director Jordan Peele
* Rogers Avenue - Shaggy Rogers from *Scooby-Doo*
* Romero Street - director George A. Romero
* Thornside Road
* Sherpherd's Walk - possibly Shepherd's Glen from *Silent Hill: Homecoming*
* Weyland Road - Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the *Alien* franchise
* William Street - possibly directors William Friedkin and/or William Castle, who are best known for horror films *The Exorcist* and *Rosemary's Baby* respectively.

## Landforms

* Deerfall Woodland
* Hellland Falls
* Reservoir
* Whistling Point (formerly Ellis Point)

## Trivia

* There is conflicting information on Gallows Creek's law enforcement, regarding whether it's under a county sheriff jurisdiction or has its own police force.
	+ Gallows Creek has a Sheriff's Office, yet promotional material refers to a Gallows Creek Police Department in missing posters.
	+ Gallows Creek has a police force of three trained officers, plus a police dispatcher, which would be too few to form a proper police department, but enough for a County Sheriff's Office in a small town.
	+ Only Sheriff Matthews and Deputy Martinez are identified by rank, but both indicate employment under a County Sheriff's Office.

## References

1. ↑ George Barrow's forged death certificate lists his home address as "Carpenter Avenue, Gallows Creek, Iowa"
2. ↑ Forrest calls Teddy Gallows Jr. the "scion of the town founders"