The Mystery Shack on Gravity Falls may have an incredibly dark past. Gravity Falls is an animated series that aired on Disney Channel/Disney XD over the course of its two-year run. In just this short amount of time though, the show found a dedicated fanbase. Many were disappointed that it ended after just two seasons, but Gravity Falls has continued to live on through reruns and this fan community finding new details about the show.
Gravity Falls is centered around one fateful summer in the lives of Dipper and Mabel Pines as they visit the town the show is named after. As they stay with their Uncle Stan, the two kids quickly realize that a lot of strange things happen in this town. There are supernatural threats and great mysteries in the tourist location. One of the staples of Gravity Falls is Uncle Stan's Mystery Shack, which is a top spot for visitors to go, but Gravity Falls has teased a troubling history for the building.
While fans around the world may call the Mystery Shack different names, Gravity Falls at one point did confirm that it went by a different name in the past. The moment comes during "The Tale of Two Stans" episode of the show as audiences get to see some more of Stan's past. During the montage, a newspaper headline can be seen that reads "Murder Hut Changes To Mystery Shack." This change is just one of many things you may not have noticed was included in Gravity Falls, so check out a new Screen Rant video at the top of this post for more of them.
The name change from Murder Hut to Mystery Shack is a fairly substantial rebrand for this building. After becoming a known tourist location that includes references to the Universal Monsters, one has to wonder what Stan's previous vision for the building was with a name like Murder Hut. One possible explanation is that Stan set up the building as a museum full of information about some of the most well-known murders of all-time.
Even if that isn't what Stan envisioned, it's safe to assume that business was not great for the Murder Hut. Low attendance and participation could be some of the reasons why Stan decided to go with a more welcoming name like Mystery Shack. Once the change was made, Stan's been able to carve out a nice life for himself in Gravity Falls. But, if Gravity Falls ever does return in some form, maybe future or past adventures will explain what the Murder Hut was supposed to be.