Unveiling the Mysteries: Discover the Spectacular Filming Locations of Stephen King's Rose Red Beyond Seattle's Mansions

Summary

The television miniseries Rose Red, which draws loose inspiration from Shirley Jackson's renowned novel The Haunting of Hill House, was shot in Seattle, Washington, with a significant portion of filming taking place at Thornewood Castle.

The series also featured other notable locations such as the University of Washington campus, the iconic Space Needle, and the Mount Baker neighborhood.

Filming for interior scenes took place at the Sand Point Naval Space, where sets were constructed for the great hall of the Rose Red mansion. Additionally, the mansion's library was depicted using the Artic Building.

Stephen King adapted Shirley Jackson's novel, The Haunting of Hill House, into a television miniseries called Rose Red. Filming took place in Seattle, Washington, where the story is set. The series revolves around a haunted mansion named Rose Red, and follows a group of parapsychologists and psychics who visit the mansion to investigate supernatural occurrences. Unfortunately, their visit leads to a series of unfortunate events.

The cast of Rose Red includes Nancy Travis as Dr. Joyce Reardon, Matt Keeslar as Steve Rimbauer, Melanie Lynskey as Rachel "Sissy" Wheaton, Kimberly J. Brown as Annie Wheaton, Judith Ivey as Cathy Kramer, Matt Ross as Emery Waterman, Julian Sands as Nick Hardaway, Emily Deschanel as Pam Asbury, Kevin Tighe as Victor "Vic" Kandinsky, David Dukes as Dr. Carl Miller, Laura Kenny as Patricia Waterman, Jimmi Simpson as Kevin Bollinger, Richard Sanders as Mr. Stanton, Tsidii Le Loka as Sukeena, and Yvonne Sciò as Deanna Petrie. The filming of the ABC horror miniseries took place in and around Seattle, Washington from August to December 2000.

Thornewood Castle, Lakewood, Washington

Rose Red prominently features Thornewood Castle in Lakewood, Washington, located just south of Seattle and Tacoma. The castle, originally constructed in the early 1900s using materials from a 15th-century English house, now serves as a bed and breakfast, wedding venue, vacation spot, and event rental space. However, during the early 2000s, the Rose Red production team meticulously restored and adapted the castle to align with Stephen King's chilling vision. Exterior shots were captured at Thornewood Castle, and several scenes were filmed inside, including two bedrooms and the billiard room. These specific locations within the castle played a crucial role in the creation of the series. After considering numerous proposals from mansions across the country, the network and producers ultimately chose Thornewood Castle due to its perfect suitability for King's script.

University Of Washington, Seattle, Washington

The University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, can also be seen in several scenes in Rose Red, serving as the fictional Beaumont University in the 2002 ABC miniseries. Established in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast and currently functions as a renowned public research college. With its vast and picturesque campus, the University of Washington has been chosen as the backdrop for various films and television shows, including 10 Things I Hate About You and The Sex Lives of College Girls.

Space Needle, Seattle, Washington

Being one of the most iconic landmarks in Seattle, Washington, the Space Needle naturally found its way into the television series Rose Red, which is set in the western city. This observation tower was built in 1961 specifically for the 1962 World's Fair, and at the time, it held the title for the tallest structure not just in Seattle but also across the western region, extending as far as the Mississippi River. Although it may no longer hold that distinction today, the Space Needle remains a defining feature of the Seattle skyline.

Mount Baker, Seattle, Washington

The cast and crew of the ABC miniseries Rose Red made use of several outdoor sets to effectively narrate the chilling story. One of these sets, located in the southeast neighborhood of Mount Baker in Seattle, Washington, showcased a house that was demolished by a torrential downpour of stones in the television show. Consequently, viewers will find it easy to identify this recognizable location while watching Rose Red.

The Mount Baker neighborhood offers unobstructed views of Mount Baker, a prominent peak in the Cascade Volcanic Arc, as well as the picturesque North Cascades of Washington. Additionally, this area is situated on the edge of Lake Washington, surrounded by awe-inspiring natural landmarks, making it an ideal choice for the aforementioned scene in Stephen King's horror series.

Sand Point Naval Space, Seattle, Washington

The Rose Red production team constructed sets at the Sand Point Naval Space in the Sand Point neighborhood of Seattle, Washington for interior scenes, in addition to using practical locations for the three-episode miniseries. Three airplane hangars at the abandoned naval base were utilized to build sets that accurately portrayed Stephen King's script for the show, which is based on Shirley Jackson's book The Haunting of Hill House.

These sets at the Sand Point Naval Space included rooms from the Rose Red haunted mansion that could not be used at Thornewood Castle. The production team created an expansive set for the great hall in the house and other interior settings for the show. Therefore, the scenes in the mansion's great hall that viewers see while watching Rose Red were not filmed at Thornewood Castle, but rather at the Sand Point Naval Space. Unfortunately, these Rose Red sets were demolished after principal photography concluded, making them inaccessible to visitors, unlike Thornewood Castle.

Spring Street & Seventh Avenue, Seattle, Washington

Artic Building, Seattle, Washington

The fictional Rose Red mansion in the television show Rose Red was situated at the intersection of Spring Street and Seventh Avenue in Seattle, Washington. However, the actual haunted house used in the ABC show was located in Lakewood, Washington, not in Seattle. This discrepancy led the producers to assign a false address to the mansion. In reality, the crossroads of Spring Street and Seventh Avenue are quite different from the picturesque and captivating setting depicted in Stephen King's Rose Red. Moreover, these streets are not in close proximity to the Thornewood Castle.

The Artic Building in Seattle, Washington served as the ultimate setting for Stephen King's 2002 horror miniseries. Originally constructed in 1914 to accommodate a prominent group of individuals who profited from Alaska's gold rush, this historic hotel holds a mesmerizing dome that brilliantly transformed into the magnificent library of the Rose Red mansion featured in the television show. It's important to note that while the majority of scenes in the haunted house were filmed at Thornewood Castle, not every sequence took place there.

Source: Thornewood Castle