Community Corner

Urbandale Yard Haunt Is Dad's Obsession

Lew Jordan loves Halloween so much that he's turned his yard into a "Zombie Hollow" decorated with creations he makes in his garage.

Blame, or credit, the Silliman family of Winterset for Lew Jordan's obsession with Halloween.

The first time he saw the Sillimans' house detailed with haunted decorations, he went home and decorated his family's entryway as a haunted hallway. He was 8 or 9.

"I've loved Halloween since I was a kid," he says.

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At age 36, Jordan hasn't put away childish things. The Urbandale man just makes them bigger and creepier. 

You can judge his progress by visiting his haunted yard, "Zombie Hollow," this Friday, Saturday or Sunday night between 7 and 10 p.m.

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That's when Lord Voldemort, assorted ghosts, banshees and zombies, and some creepy pall bearers will be out in force in the back yard of 3109 Pine Circle.

Jordan wants you to come. The more people he can share his passion with, the better. Last year - his second year of doing a haunted yard in Urbandale - about 200 people came on Beggars' Night.

This year, the family expanded the event to three nights. Jordan says he won't charge admission, but so many people offered him money last year that he decided to use the event this year to support a charity.

Any donations people want to make will go to the Sentinels of Freedom, a charity that helps severely wounded veterans in recent conflicts return to work. 

Jordan says on his website that his haunt is not like a typical haunted house; "no one will grab or tear at you." Instead, he calls it more of a haunted diorama, similar to the Disney Haunted Mansion ride.  

Jordan, and his friend Jason Kemp, build all the props and animatronics in his garage. 

After a few years of spending on Halloween decorations and props, Jordan's wife, Candace, began to complain about all the money he was spending. So Jordan went online and found a community of people who turn their homes and yards into haunts once a year. Now he spends a lot of time, but very little money. 

A creepy zombie crawling out of the ground in his front yard is nothing but about $5 of newspaper, duct tape and paper mache.

"Between Craig's List and my neighbors, I get all the supplies I need," he says.

The only down side to the haunt is that parking is scarce on Jordan's street. If his haunted yard really draws crowds this year and you can't find parking on side streets, he suggests parking at , 2700 Colby Woods Drive, and walking the five to six blocks to his house.  

The weather is supposed to be wonderful for Halloween weekend, but if it's not, Jordan suggests you check his website or Facebook page to see if the haunt is still on.


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