Bordentown's Thompson Street (2016)

Last year Cathi introduced us to the whimsically and magically decorated Thompson Street in Bordentown, NJ. Since then I have written stories for the Bordentown Current, a monthly newspaper. Often I'll mention Thompson Street as a way of breaking the ice and establishing rapport. 

The tiny one-block one-way street has a number of equally tiny homes -- some single family, some duplexes, and some row homes. The neighborhood began in the 19th century as a place for the Irish immigrants to live while they worked in the fishing industry (I think, I welcome anyone reading this to correct me, I know they were immigrants working in a local industry).

When people put their Thompson Street homes on the market they mention they live on the famous Halloween street. It is good to know this before you commit to living on a street where tourists will take over for a week or so each year.

I realize by going on October 26 we went early this year. Some decorations are already up. The theme seems to have something to do with spiders (as you'll see in my pictures below). Last year's theme was Alice in Wonderland, another year was Wizard of Oz. Those transported you to a different world. This one left us a bit creeped out by the giant spiders. We were too early to see the 200+ jack o'lanterns. With Don going in for surgery on Halloween, and a pretty full weekend, this was the latest date we could do.

We'll go back next year.

Here are some pictures. If you go closer to Halloween, please let me know how it evolves.

The lead house where the organizers live

You can't quite tell from this picture,
but the bottom is a "skeleton" of a spider using "human" bones.

I anticipate by Halloween there will be 200+ jack o'lanterns in the yard of this corner house.

Many of the decorations completely block the entrances to the homes. Ashley asked how people get inside. At the same time we said "through the back door." 

Happy Halloween.