Photo submitted by Russell Hetrick Area residents traveling through Byrnedale are not likely to miss this creative Halloween display at a home along SR 255.

By Becky Polaski

Staff Writer

Area residents driving through Byrnedale have likely noticed the creative Halloween display setup at a home along state Route 255. 

Since 2003, Russell Hetrick and the Shadduck family have been decorating the home each Halloween season.

Hetrick explained that he and his family began decorating in 2003 when they set up a small gate and 10 tombstones in their yard. Over the years the display has grown and now includes around 40 tombstones and several other unique features. His step-father, Kevin Shadduck, builds most of the props for the display each year and they also get ideas from Halloween stores and the Internet. Hetrick added that his family has also been assisting a local scout troop in Caledonia for several years with their haunted forest.

“We plan all year but we start setting up in the middle of September,” Hetrick said. “We are still building more props and it usually takes a month to set everything up before Halloween. It only takes a few days to take it all down.”

The display changes each year and in past years has even included a hearse which Hetrick noted belongs to a friend of his step-father.

“One of my favorite displays is a coffin that my step-father built,” Hetrick said. “A good friend, Mindy Hedlund, lays in it to scare people.”

Hetrick added that more changes are planned for the display in the future.

“We always have changes to the display,” Hetrick said. “We plan on doing something big for next year but you will have to wait and see.”