Pikeview Street in Dresden is Home to Festive Halloween Display

By Shannon Taylor

Associate Editor

Dresden residents Sarah and Norman Coutu Jr. are home to one of the, if not the biggest, Halloween-decorated home in the city.

The Coutu’s moved to Dresden at the end of spring 2019. Sarah said that Halloween is their family’s favorite holiday — especially for them to all pitch in with the decorating every year. Sarah said that it’s a family tradition – her and Norman have eight kids together – and she says they try to all participate with shopping for new decor, decorating and picking pumpkins together. The Coutu's have been going above and beyond in their Halloween display for many years.

“And, when you live in a haunted house built 174 years ago, you have to decorate for Halloween,” Sarah said.

“Our first full year here, we only had one trick-or-treater, but we weren’t sure anyone knew we’d have candy, and it was during the pandemic. We started all sitting out at the end of the driveway the following year and we’ve added more lighting and of course more decorations. Now we get car after car full of kids super excited to see our decorations,” Sarah said.

Sarah said it takes at least two entire days to fully decorate outside. They have added a little more each year to their home — making it more outlandish than the previous. The house is home to a real Amish-made casket, a 12’ skeleton that Sarah says, “was an absolute must for this house,” to the numerous skeletons climbing up and into the house.

The Coutu's stated that they have so many more ideas for the coming years and that they truly enjoy sharing their love for Halloween with all of the locals who come and take photos, videos or just visit our yard. Sarah said that the most fun is on Halloween night when everyone comes to trick or treat, all in costume.

“We love how it seems to bring everyone together with all the fun and excitement of getting to dress as your favorite character or honoring someone from the past,” Sarah said.

“Some people who we’ve run into while running errands across multiple counties have said they bring their family to trick-or-treat at our house from several towns away every year. We are so happy to see the excitement and love to see people of all ages having fun.”

The display is located on Pikeview Street in Dresden — it is hard to miss. It’s the old Stoker home with a gothic-looking, black fence surrounding it and ghosts and ghouls abounding everywhere. The Coutu’s encourage everyone in the community (and surrounding communities) to stop by and see their display or join them on Halloween for tricks and treats.