5603 Millstone Lane, Rolling Meadows, IL
year: 2013
Millstone Manor is a great yard display in Rolling Meadows
that is reminiscent of some of the imagery included in Disney’s Haunted Mansion
attraction. It consists of numerous props on the front lawn, along the
driveway, and near the front porch, all of which are illuminated with some
unusual and effective lighting.
The main portion of the display showcases numerous graves in a simulated cemetery, complete with large fence and gate surrounding them. The graves range from traditional family tombstones done in a turn of the century style to crypts with skeletons emerging from them, to simulated stone monuments, to coffins, chained to keep the occupants inside. As mentioned, some excellent lighting bathes the graves in blue and green, and adds an unearthly quality to the entire display. But that’s not all that is on offer here. Along the driveway there are numerous other props, some with a more festive theme (rather than a creepy one). Props include a skeleton with a Jack-o-Lantern head, glowing rows of Jack-o-Lanterns (as well as plain pumpkins) stacked on hay bales, and some glowing pirate-headed lights. The tree along the side of the driveway features a skeletal Grim Reaper-like character, while around the other side of the tree is a coffin with a skeletal face peering out from the cross shaped opening in the center. The more festive theme continues on the porch, with displays that add some humor into the mix. They include a headless mannequin dressed in camouflage, a skeleton emerging from some glowing toxic waste, and even a sign on the door that riffs on the “Keep Calm and Carry On” theme by advising visitors to “Keep Calm and Carry Garlic.” All in all there is a lot to see here – our favorite portions of the display include a large skeletal scarecrow who guards the cemetery gates, the glowing blue and green tombstones, and the skeleton who is desperately trying to escape from his stone crypt. It’s a great display, and one that entertains on more than one level by mixing the creepy with the seasonal. We applaud the creativity and inventiveness of the display and look forward to seeing more from Millstone Manor in years to come!
|
|