“I haven’t seen one to match,” said homeowner Cynthia Hamilton, admiring the hard work she and her husband put into the interior and exterior Halloween display.
RICHLAND, Wash. — It’s pure Halloween dedication—a display that consists of over 20 years of collecting for a Richland couple, Cynthia Hamilton and Dante Holmes.
The outside of the house, off Columbia Park Trail in Richland, is one thing, but walking inside is like walking into a Halloween-Wonderland. Each room is themed, with an overarching core of skeletons and pirates this year. They said they decorate every other year, and have been for 20 years.
“Kind of when I was a little kid,” Hamilton explained, “I loved seeing other people’s Halloween displays, and I had to do it myself.”
Children come through the house and watch in awe at all of the moving parts, and the thoughts put into every piece.
“The part I like best is the children’s reactions to the display,” said Hamilton. “They get so excited, and they’re so amazed, and they can’t even believe that there’s a skeleton that’s driving the ship.”
It isn’t just for the kids, though…it’s also for the adults. Hamilton and Holmes threw an elaborate party Saturday, even hosting live music for the spooky festivities. They said between 150 and 200 people made their way through the house this year at the function alone.
This display takes six weeks to fully put together. Bringing it out of storage is no easy task. It then takes weeks to fine-tune each part to make it perfect.
It might just be one of the most elaborate Halloween displays in the Tri-Cities.
“I haven’t seen one to match,” Hamilton said.
Holmes hand-crafted a piece of the production himself. To match the pirate theme, it’s a ship made out of a wine barrel. Fitting, because the location is close to several Richland wineries.
“It’s made out of an oak wine barrel, and it was great fun to build,” said Holmes.
Hamilton said her favorite part was the kids’ reactions. Close friends who visit every year were just as in awe as when they saw it for the first time.
The inspiration came from a friend, Sharon Watts. Hamilton called Watts the mastermind. She’s who got the two of them into Halloween decorations back at the start of the century.
She even made an appearance on Halloween night to see the amazing display, and the wonder on her face was noticeable.
Unfortunately, the whole thing doesn’t stay up for long. By the time Halloween is over, that’s when the decorations start to come down, they said.
And, they said as their youngest daughter prepares to head off to college, this might be their final year hosting the Halloween display, though they said it might come back around in many years.
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