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One of the highlights of the fall-turn-winter holidays in Nicholasville is the house on corner of West Brown and 3rd Street — the Harris home.
It is most notable for a stunning Christmas display each year, but there is also a darker side to the Harris’ family love of decor.
Starting in early October with lights and displays for Halloween, the two-story home lights up the night and ignites the holiday spirit for the macabre.
Islands of black stone with bloody children’s footprints guild visitors on a haunted tour past a witch’s grave, the twitching torso of a zombie and clawing skeleton hands reaching up from the earth.
“It truly is a family affair,” Kris Harris said. “And Halloween is my favorite of all the holidays.”
This year there are also some new treats for those wanting a surprise and a few dangers for any tricksters lurking about.
“The kids help out a lot — I have three — plus my nieces and nephews help out, so seven kids in all that contribute to setting this up,” Harris said. “Usually it would take two to three weeks because of work, but I took off this year and was able to get it done in about a week.”
Harris said most of the elaborate decorations that turn his humble home in to an outdoor haunted scene he makes himself but he gets a lot of help.
This year there is the guillotine table, which was made by his wife, where the grim reaper sits with a few ghouls and skeletons.
“She also makes sure all the lights work,” he said.
Another feature Harris is extremely proud of is the grave stone of Lizzy Borden, 1908-1920.
“She’s a real-life story I read,” Harris said.
On Borden’s stone is written:
“Little Lizzy took an ax
gave her mother 40 whacks.
When she seen what she
had done,
she gave her father 41.”
Harris’ haunted yard is open to visitors in the evenings from 6-9 p.m., and he said he’s happy to share his joy for Halloween with his neighbors who have all been very accepting of his elaborate displays each year.