This Halloween, do you dare a visit to Dead Spring Manor?
If you are brave enough, take a stroll past 114 Village Green Drive in Cold Spring, a land of very big and very scary giants. Two 12-foot skeletons, a 12-foot ghost and two 15-foot phantoms tower over a rainbow of “life-sized” skeletons and other fiends gathered to celebrate All Hallows Eve in style.
“When it comes to Halloween and Christmas, we go all out,” said John Reinecke, dad and lead ghoul. “I experience abundant joy from seeing others take in our display. It takes me a month and a half to get setup, but with daily walk throughs all month to make adjustments.”
Bones, colorful bones
Reinecke is joined by his wife Jackie and their three kids – Jahlee, 14; Jack, 12 and Javis, 9, who help with the display, including painting the skeletons an array of colors – gold, red, black and more.
“Our immersive display has over 30 unique customized skeletons, including a gold 12-foot skeleton and a black 12-foot skeleton. We also have a scene dedicated to Ukraine with a yellow and blue skeleton,” Reinecke said. “We have a tree covered with real animal bones from my mother-in-law’s Indiana farm. We also feature a ‘girls night out’ scene with a real fire pit, a bench for pictures and a donation box for charity.”
Last year, the family raised $200 in donations for DragonFly Foundation. This year, donations will go to St. Vincent de Paul.
“We also have animatronics in our windows of Leatherface, Freddy and also other characters. In addition, we have a haunted trail in our backyard, inside decor and a haunted garage,” said Reinecke.
Listen, and you’ll hear a creepy symphony of aural accompaniment to the display, which Reinecke has on a timer out of respect for the neighbors.
The display is a favorite of the whole neighborhood, and people come from far and wide to get terrified. This year, the city of Cold Spring named Dead Spring Manor the winner of their Halloween display contest. It’s the first time the city has held the contest.
Reinecke said he has been creating holiday displays and decorating since he was a child.
“I grew up an only child, and my mom was always ill. She had diabetes and kidney failure and cancer. So we lost her at a young age, unfortunately, but I always felt like decorating with her. And then, since her passing in 2000, it’s been a way for me to feel still connected to her,” he said.
He admits that each year, it’s gotten bigger. “It’s spiraled a little out of control. My wife is a saint…Ever since I was a little kid, we’ve always had a Christmas display, a Halloween display and on other holidays as well, but not on such a scale.”
He credits Jackie for keeping things on track with the family’s commitments to school and afterschool activities while they go all out for their display.
His children are always excited for the display and do a lot to add their own touches. They help with painting but also with creating backstories for their scary menagerie. The large gold skeleton, for example, is called Betty, named for Betty White.
“They love having friends over and running around the yard and playing through the fog. It gives us an opportunity to host social gatherings throughout the month for different folks, including them. And it’s great to just see them have a place that is safe they can enjoy. I am always very cognizant of extension cords. I think I use three cases of those ground staples, just make sure everything is anchored secure and tight. So, they know they can pretty much run around free in there,” he said.
If you can muster the courage, Reinecke invites you to check out the display. You can also find some behind-the-scenes coverage and more on the display on his Instagram page, @halloweenherm.