The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

It’s been an extremely blustery Halloween, but Bill and Donna Downs are undoubtedly still busy entertaining the many families who stop by their wonderful haunted house. The Downs’ location at the intersection of Main Street and Bear Swamp Road is the ideal place to attract attention and that’s just what Bill and Donna have been doing for the last five years. Every October the Downs practically surround their house with Halloween characters and turn their entire garage into what Bill Downs describes as a “Halloween Wonderland.” The characters didn’t wait until Halloween to come alive. Downs said he and three or four of his friends have been in costume on the porch or along Route 22 almost every evening during October and today about twenty-five people were in costume. Halloween is more than a one-night event for Bill Downs. (See more photos)

Downs said, “ Donna and I usually sit down in January or February and talk about what we’re going to do. We get ideas online.” Downs said he also tries to keep up with the latest movies since that’s where he gets many of his ideas. Construction in the garage usually starts in mid-September. Once construction is complete Downs said, “We have our friends and friend’s kids come over and decide if it needs to be tweaked.” Downs hopes that the haunted house is scarier than ever this year with seven live characters and seven animated characters. Your Gazette photographer usually prides himself on his steady hand taking photos. His hands were shaking by the time he emerged from this haunted house.