Bridgewater Couple Brings Halloween Joy Amid Coronavirus

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Every October skeletons rise up from the ground at 948 Route 202 in Bridgewater. And this year is no different as Jim and Joann Adams will continue their "13 skeletons" display and show for trick-or-treaters.

"I love Halloween," Jim Adams said. "Halloween has always been fun."

The tradition began in 2006 shortly after the Adams family moved to Bridgewater. Jim Adams started putting together a little Halloween display incorporating stacked pumpkins and skeletons on a pike.

Living right off Route 202, Bridgewater-Raritan school buses would pass by daily. Students on the bus then began spreading a spooky rumor that the skeletons moved at night and would end up in different positions in the morning.

Now, 14 years later, he has since expanded this idea, adding in a theme and an elaborate display. The skeletons now move for two weeks before ending up in their final positions.

This year's theme is called the Halloween Machine, orchestrated by Professor James O'Lantern. You may know his brother, Jack.

The machine is essentially a life-sized "Mousetrap" board game which begins with a knock on the front door setting off an elaborate and intricate machine. It includes a shoe kicking over a bullseye target, a bowling ball following a track, a bathtub filling with water, pallets stacked and falling over in a "Dominos"-type way, and ending with a saw coming down to give you a trick and a treat.

It takes about 20 minutes for the Adams to set up the machine and run it periodically throughout the day. There are no set times when the machine will run to avoid grouping of too many people due to the coronavirus and enforcing social distancing.

Along with the skeletons, there is also a singing pumpkin display at night. Where mouths are projects onto the pumpkins so that they can sing along with the lyrics.

"We get a lot of compliments and people who stop by after work," Adams said.

Many will pull over or park and get out to enjoy the display. The Bridgewater Police have placed no parking signs on the opposite side of the highway to keep pedestrians from crossing.

The ideas for the displays come from Jim Adams' creative mind. He owns a landscaping company but Joann says he is "like Disney. He likes to create another world."

All of the fun is done by Jim and Joann with the help of their kids Kyle and Sarah. They also get volunteers like Mark Langston who helps to create the displays. Jim Adams begins coming up with the idea for the theme in July and work begins in August to handmake all of the props and decorations.

"The display is for all ages, kid-friendly with no gore," Jim Adams said. "Imagination is the key."

Putting on this show every year involves a lot of labor hours and money. To offset the costs for the free show, the Adams accept donations and sell T-shirts, baseball caps, and their 13 Skeletons picture book "Circus of the Night" — based on their Circus theme.

For more information on the display or to donate visit 13skeletons.com or facebook.com/13skeletons.

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