NORTHVILLIANS,
Continuing our FALL SERIES after writing about Cider Mills, Tree Colors and Homecomings, I will conclude with our “Norman Rockwell” Halloween in the Ville. This spooky holiday is a major event in town, with the closing of streets for trick-or-treating. There is also a fun open house at the City’s Fire Department with giveaways of cider, doughnuts, popcorn and other treats to the thousands of children that frequent our town for Halloween. Remember to embrace and experience “The Skeletons Alive” in downtown and the ambiance of the Ville over this Halloween weekend.
Let’s look at Northville Halloweens through the years:
1908 – The Record reported that on Halloween night some young pranksters took the front steps off a residence in the Historic District, and in 1938 a sugar beet was tossed through a window in Orchard Heights.
1941 – The VFW Post planned a Halloween party at their new building on Northville Road.
1951 – Ted Simms’ orchestra played for the Northville Halloween masquerade dance sponsored by the American Legion. The Free Press remarked about the “Boogie Woogie pianist.”
1953 – Another of the VFW & Foreign Legion-sponsored community Halloween dances took place at the High School gym with orchestras from all over the Detroit Area.
1956 – Halloween festivities began with hours of free movies at the Marquis Theatre (called P & A Theatre at the time). A special high school Halloween dance took place at the Community Center and 45 award-winning jack-o-lanterns from all the schools were displayed (part of the Halloween Art Show started by the Mothers Club years before).
1960 – Northville trick-or-treaters collected money on Halloween from generous local residents for UNICEF, a fundraiser sponsored by the local churches.
1969 – The Northville Fire Department had their annual Halloween event which began in 1965 & they received great recognition for this project regionally. The volunteer department of Chief Bud Hartner was on duty at the station when trick-or-treaters came around. Northville volunteers popped corn (more than 25 pounds of it!) and hundreds of local apples were given out. John McGuire (Guernsey’s) donated the popcorn machine, Fred Casterline the apples and Mayor Allen the popcorn. This tradition has continued to today, now on its 56th year!
1983– Northville firefighters hosted over 1000 children at their annual Halloween Party event. Chief Jim Allen observed that “it just keeps growing.” Like Halloween in the Ville!
2010– The Northville Record wrote about one of the local family’s (the Danol’s) themed Halloween events through the years. Jim Long, longtime downtown business owner, told the Record, “The Danols have made Halloween night in Northville special with their exhibits each year.” The Danols started in 1998 transforming their home (like many others in town) into various Halloween themes: Pirates of the Caribbean, The Renaissance Era, Wild West, Monster Mash, Trolls, Star Trek, just to name a few.
2011 – The DDA debuted “Skeletons Alive” in downtown Northville with 10 skeletons to the delight of the community. This fun event continues to grow yearly, now up to over 120 skeletons, which are displayed through October 31st.
2021 – Northville will once again close many streets for our youth to trick-or-treat and the Fire Department will be hosting their Halloween open house.
Come enjoy some tricks and treats in the Ville and have a safe Halloween, Northvillians! And remember to get out on Tuesday, 11/2 and vote for good government locally.
This concludes our “Fall Series.” We will transition to “Remembrances in Town” over the coming weeks including Patriotism in the Ville, Veterans Day through history, Santa’s Parades in town and past Thanksgivings.
Keep that Northville Halloween Faith!
Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849
(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)
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