Events Calendar
In This Section
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Jewell Cardwell: LeBron fans cooking up fundraiser
Energy upgrades for Summit, Stark
Downtown Akron restaurants serve up 79,000 pounds of cardboard for recycling
Buehler's employee hopes to bag national title
Troubled bar torn down after court's final say
Toyota recalls 437,000 Priuses, hybrids globally
Brother now says former Akron doctor admitted poisoning wife
Most Read Stories
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Complaints against officer keep coming
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Police say couple had 50 stolen hubcaps
Police: Man tries to buy crack with credit card
Woman rescued after falling through rotting floor in house
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
NBC Releases Olympics Announcer List
Akron Zips:
Zips favored on road against MAC West leader
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Five local gridders to play in Big33
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Elaborate, spooky display draws thousands yearly
By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Friday, Oct 31, 2008
CUYAHOGA FALLS: It is the last Halloween and the final two days of screams for Tom Cunningham and his haunted cemetery.
For three decades, 53-year-old Cunningham has turned the family's home at 1627 Broad Blvd. into a Halloween destination spot.
But because of his declining health, Cunningham has decided that when the elaborate decorations comes down Sunday, it will be the end.
He will celebrate Halloween with his property decorated as a frightening graveyard for one last time tonight.
''Thirty years is enough, but the health is the biggest part,'' said Cunningham, who said he suffers from a number of illnesses.
The Cunningham Family
Cemetery started out just in his front yard, but over the 30-year life of the Halloween tradition, it has spread into neighboring yards on either side of his house.
''It has grown and got so out of hand,'' Cunningham said.
Now, the display includes dozens of floodlights, fog machines, several coffins, fake hands coming out of the ground, a handmade hearse, 60 to 70 sheets of plywood and dozens and dozens of gravestones made out of foam insulation.
The gravestones are all inscribed with the names of friends and family and people who have assisted him with the Halloween display.
During trick or treat in Cuyahoga Falls earlier this month, more than 2,500 people walked in front of his house. He had about 50 family members on hand to help deal with the crowd,
There is no cost to walk along the sidewalk and view the display, but Cunningham has a donation box on the site and gives the donations to the Cuyahoga Falls Alumni Band.
Sunday, when the cemetery is taken down by friends, the entire display will be put up for sale.
He will offer it to members of an Internet Halloween group and would love to sell it locally, but he might end up selling it on eBay.
Whoever purchases his haunted cemetery must buy the entire display — except for the gravestones, which he will give to the people named on them.
Cunningham will start the bidding for his Halloween collection at $2,500.
He said he is ''somewhat glad'' that the ordeal will be over after this Halloween, but ''I am going to miss it so bad.''
Paula Sands, 57, lives next door and her yard is decorated as part of his display.
''I think he has made an attraction that brings thousands of kids that don't have the opportunity or money to go to a haunted house someplace else that can come and have a good time from his good-heartedness,'' said Sands, a finance manager at VanDevere Auto Out.
Everybody looks forward to his haunted cemetery, she said.
''It will be such a void now without it,'' she said.
''Maybe somebody else will carry on the tradition someplace else.''
Halloween has always been a special time for Cunningham.
''As a kid in Akron, you waited for trick or treat,'' he said. ''It got dark out. You got to dress up and be whatever you wanted to be and you went out and got free candy.''
Planning for and carrying out his Halloween tradition has taken ''a big chunk of my life,'' he said.
The reason he has such a fondness for the holiday is he is still a kid at heart and will always be ''12 years old and holding,'' he said.
For information about purchasing his Halloween display, call Cunningham after noon at 330-573-5504.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
CUYAHOGA FALLS: It is the last Halloween and the final two days of screams for Tom Cunningham and his haunted cemetery.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
cuyahoga falls, oh
Posted 08:55 AM, 10/31/2008
I will never forget this, his display is the best in falls!!!
Posted 09:53 AM, 10/31/2008
Hope you're ok Tom,
Your old neighbor Steve
Posted 10:08 AM, 10/31/2008
I love Tom!!
Posted 11:42 AM, 10/31/2008
I've been taking my kids,nieces,nephews,and their friends by this display for years! We'll surely miss doing this in the years to come but certainly wish Mr. Cunningham well! Thanks for the memories.
Posted 03:47 PM, 10/31/2008
that's to bad - always has been cool to see.
FEEL BETTER!
Posted 05:26 PM, 10/31/2008
Halloween is a celebration of the devil...and that's why I like it!!!
