Goshen Falls is a town featured in the fifty-third Goosebumps book, Chicken Chicken.
History
When Crystal was four years old, her parents — two computer programmers — moved their family to the small farm town of Goshen Falls. Crystal's parents own chickens, which Crystal hates.
Crystal describes Goshen Falls as tiny, saying there's nowhere to go at nights. Even though she describes the entire town as "three blocks long", it is unclear if she's literally referring to the entire town or just Main Street, the most central part of the neighborhood where the businesses are located.
While it's never stated explicitly, the reader is informed that the story takes place in Ohio; at the protagonist's school, they sing Ohio's state song, "Beautiful Ohio".
Residents
Below is a list of people who live in, work in, or frequent Goshen Falls:
- Anthony
- Crystal's family
- Includes Crystal, her parents, and her brother Cole.
- Coach Clay
- Jowett Garth
- Jeremy Garth
- Lucy-Ann's family
- Includes Lucy-Ann, her parents, and her seven siblings.
- Mr. Horace
- Mr. Porter
- Mrs. Mellon
- Mrs. Wagner
- Tommy Pottridge (former resident)
- Vanessa
Locations
Bakery Goshen Falls has one local bakery, and it's owned by Mrs. Wagner. The building is typically filled with a sweet aroma. The bakery is said to produce cakes, pies, and doughnuts.
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Crystal's family's farm Crystal describes her family's property as a "cute little farm with a cute little farmhouse." Her family keeps several chickens in a coop in the backyard.
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Feed Store Not much is described about the Feed Store other than that it is across the street from the convenience store.
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Lucy-Ann’s family's farm Lucy-Ann's family's farm is said to be the most successful in Goshen Falls. Crystal describes their farmhouse as big and smelling of cooked food.
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Mini-Mart While it's only mentioned once, Goshen Falls has a Mini-Mart convenience store on the corner next to the grocery store.
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Pullman’s Pond While never truly described, Pullman’s Pond is a pond found in Goshen Falls.
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Pic ’n’ Pay The Pic ’n’ Pay is the town's grocery store. It's never stated who owns or operates the store, but Crystal mentions seeing a man named Mr. Porter inside.
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School Goshen Falls is home to the only school in its county, so many of the students commute. The only grades that are explicitly mentioned are the fifth and sixth grades. Additionally, there is a playground outside.
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Crystal says Vanessa's old farmhouse is "right outside of town", suggesting it isn't technically in Goshen Falls, just nearby.
Trivia
- R.L. Stine grew up in Ohio, which might explain why this book is set there.
- The town's grocery store, Pic ’n’ Pay, is likely named after the real-life Pick-N-Pay Supermarkets chain, which was exclusive to Ohio. While Pick-N-Pay Supermarkets existed when Stine was young, the chain was sold off before this book was written.
- Goshen Falls has a name is similar to New Goshen, the town that Jerry Hawkins moves to in Piano Lessons Can Be Murder.