Two terrifying trick-or-treat destinations in Mountain View Two terrifying trick-or-treat destinations in Mountain View (October 28, 2005)

By Molly Tanenbaum

A fanged witch slowly stirs her bubbling cauldron in a ghoulish night fog. Corpses surround her, their chilling epitaphs chiseled into eroded gravestones. One reads: "I told you I was sick."

Dan Pitchford's yard is frightening, even in the daytime. The corner lot where he lives with his wife and brother-in-law at Mercy and Oak streets is now a haunted cemetery, complete with an 8-foot-tall Frankenstein guarding a wrought-iron gate.

Months of work went into constructing this elaborate, spooky cemetery, Pitchford said. He started putting out his props in early October and will leave them up until the weekend after Halloween.

Pitchford got his start five years ago after seeing the work of Brent Ross, a fellow Mountain View resident who has been building increasingly elaborate Halloween displays in his yard for 15 years. Ross also started a Web site, www.deviousconcoctions.com, with detailed instructions for fellow haunt-enthusiasts to design their own animated props and special effects.

Pitchford refers to Ross's site and others for directions, ideas, and even epitaphs for his handmade gravestones. But he also started writing his own, such as "Here lies Phineas Fogg, who died from swigging too much grog" and "Here lies the overweight Ophelia Fogg, who went out for a jog in the L.A. fog."

This year, Ross worked with his father, brothers and neighbors to construct a "500-year-old" cemetery, complete with robotic skeletons and corpses.

Ross had been putting up Halloween decorations all his life, but turned high-tech when he was 14. His display now spans 80 feet by 20 feet, taking over the side yard of his parents' house at Yosemite Avenue and Bush Street and spilling over to a neighbor's yard.

Pitchford estimated that he spent between $500 and $1,000 this year. He recently decided to follow Ross's example and put out a donation box. He said he has already received about $20 in contributions. He purchases parts and props on eBay and at Diddam's for post-Halloween discounts.

In past years, Pitchford has given his yard decorations a theme, such as last year's pirate display or the previous year's "The Birds" movie theme.

Halloween yard haunts have inspired both Ross and Pitchford in other areas of their lives. Ross's interest in designing and building robotic displays turned into a career path -- he recently graduated from college with a degree in industrial design.

Pitchford's new hobby resulted in rediscovering his passion for photography. He takes pictures of cemeteries to find examples for his own designs. He is particularly drawn to Oakland's Mountain View Cemetery.

"I find that just the history and all the different items on the tombstones, all the symbolism ... some people might find it a little strange but it's really quite interesting," Pitchford said.

His photographs will be on display at University Art in downtown Palo Alto, where he works as a purchaser. The all-employee art show continues through Thanksgiving. But Pitchford may forgo the show's opening night on Friday to stay home and operate his yard haunt.

"I'd rather be here with the lights on," he said.

Pitchford is already scheming for Halloween 2006, when he hopes to build a horse-drawn hearse.

Both Pitchford and Ross see their yard haunts as a way of contributing to their neighborhoods.

"It doesn't seem like that many people decorate for Halloween anymore, so I guess we're trying to make up for it," Ross said.

The two live less than a mile apart but have never met.

E-mail Molly Tanenbaum at mtanenbaum@mv-voice.com
INFOBOX: Two great places to trick-or-treat in Mountain View (for all ages): * Yosemite Ave. and Bush St. (on display Oct. 28 to Oct. 31) * Mercy St. and Oak St. (on display now until Nov. 4)

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