For the first time that I can remember, Greenfield Village shut its gates to its members and the general public for the month of October (which I think is wrong), unless, that is, you bought tickets to their Hallowe'en event. So, I fell into their clutches and purchased tickets for two nights: Friday October 18 and Saturday October 26. I did this so I could enjoy the beauty of fall, for there is no place, except, perhaps, New England, that shows fall like historic Greenfield Village. I also wanted to experience, once again, their (mostly) glorious Hallowe'en exhibition.
So, for today's post we will celebrate Hallowe'en. Later this month I will do an autumn post.
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Ever since I began to study the historical aspect of the fall and harvest, I look at Hallowe'en a bit differently.
I mean, it's still Hallowe'en, but there's more of a historic appeal to it for me now. In fact, I wrote a post on that aspect of this holiday HERE.
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| The "official" print from the GFV gift shop, with slight modification from me~ |
Oh! What a bit of research can do!
The connection between harvest and All Hallow's Eve is there---and it's a strong one.
As I oft repeated in past harvest and Hallowe'en posts:
The telling of ghost stories on Hallowe'en derives from both the Druids' belief that the ancestral dead arise on this night and the Christian directive to honor the souls of the departed at Hallowmas.
It was only natural, then, at early American harvest time get-togethers, when the communities would gather for such harvest time activities as corn-husking parties, apple paring parties, sugar and sorghum making days, and even at thresherman dinner parties, that ghost stories would become an integral part of these autumn celebrations. Many American ghost stories evolved from actual superstitions and rituals practiced by those who lived in the British Isles. These tales of the ancestral dead were told and retold by the elders to a spellbound crowd, late at night, after all of the activities were done, when the moon was fully risen and the trees outside shook with the autumn wind. That's when people gathered around a fire and told one another tales of the silenced dead lying in graves nearby.
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| The silenced dead lying in their graves... |
Harvest time indeed!
To some extent, Greenfield Village has combined the two - harvest and Hallowe'en - and, for the most part, it works.
As mentioned, this year I went to the Hallowe'en event twice because the Village is closed for daytime activities during the month of October...it's not even open for membership strolling. I vehemently disagree with this decision and have expressed some anger, frustration, and, mostly, disappointment, for I really wanted some good fall photos. Being that those of us who went to the Hallowe'en event were let in during the late afternoon while the sun still shone (4:00 pm), I was able to capture some good fall pictures, as well as some of the Hallowe'en activities.
So---without further ado, I'd like to present some of the spookier pictures I took. I hope you enjoy them (and the bit of historical text intermingling):
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| Okay---maybe this one's not so spooky lol--- One visit I wore my 18th century clothing, and another I simply wore my top hat. That's my son and my wife standing near me. ~This photo is a Chris Robey production~ |
Both visits were weather-perfect. I mean, seriously...the weather could not have been any better if I had placed a special order! Sunshine, blue skies, warmer temps, and a clear nighttime to show the Hunter's Moon in all its glory (more on that coming up).
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| "People in Motion" I stole this title from friend Ed Davis, for he named a similar picture (of one he took) the same title, and it also fits perfectly with my image. There was so much joy and laughter from all ages here. Eyes were filled with wonder. And the beauty that is autumn just enveloped us all. |
I'm not sure about the rest of the world, but here in the States, Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" - the story of The Headless Horseman - seems to be a central theme for this holiday. Then again, most tend to not celebrate Hallowe'en with the vim and verve we do here in America. Though Hallowe'en originated in Europe, it is celebrated today by a rapidly increasing number of people of many countries of different religious backgrounds all over the world. Upon an October visit back in 2004, Sandra, my friend from England, said her country paled in comparison to our celebrations here. I believe that's partly because we also celebrate the harvest/fall - apples, cider mills, bonfires, hay rides, pumpkins, and the like - as few others do, especially here in Michigan, as well as in New England, Wisconsin, and northern Ohio.
But Sandra also said it was growing in her country.
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| The theme near Firestone Farm was on the 1820 short story by American author Washington Irving, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." |
Washington Irving's original short story is actually not as modern society thinks.
Now, we're all aware of the popular Tim Burton movie version starring Johnny Depp that was released to theaters in 1999. I certainly enjoyed the scary thrill that this version gave me. But as I read the original story from over 200 years ago, I learned that this was not even close to what Washington Irving wrote. In fact, the Burton/Depp version is nearly an entirely different story altogether; pretty much only the names remain the same, to a certain extent: the headless horseman is there (but didn't actually play such a prominent part in Irving's original telling), Katrina Van Tassel, Ichabod Crane (who is a lawyer-turned-detective in the movie, where in the original book he is a school teacher), Brom Bones, a few of the other Irving characters, the time period in which it takes place - 1790s - and, well, that's pretty much it for the similarities between the original and the Depp movie.
There is, however, another lesser known well-done movie version that is very close to Irving's story: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," starring Brent Carver and Rachelle Lefevre.
In this one the book comes to life.
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| Myself and story-teller Katie. Yes, for one of my visits I dressed 18th century. |
Katie & I spoke on how different the original novel was in comparison to the more modern telling; how the original story was more of a romance novel - more of a love story with a touch of fright - rather than one filled with horror. Yes, the Headless Horseman absolutely plays a memorable role, as do the other characters I mentioned. But horror back in 1820 was a far cry from the way it is depicted in our jaded society today, 204 years later. And she tells a more condensed version of the Irving story. When she completes her telling, off the audience goes to the nearby Firestone fields to see the most well-known characters come to life:
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| I really think it is so cool that the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane are both at Greenfield Village. So I took plenty of photos and included my favorites right here (with narrations directly from Washington Irving's original 1820 "Sleepy Hollow" pen): |
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| ~An opening in the trees now cheered him with the hopes that the church bridge was at hand. He saw the walls of the church dimly glaring under the trees beyond. He recollected the place where Brom Bones’s ghostly competitor had disappeared.~ |
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| ~"Just then he saw the goblin rising in his stirrups, and in the very act of hurling his head at him. Ichabod endeavored to dodge the horrible missile, but too late. It encountered his cranium with a tremendous crash, - he was tumbled headlong into the dust, and Gunpowder (Ichabod’s own horse), the black steed, and the goblin rider, passed by like a whirlwind.”~ |
Adaptations of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" often show the Headless Horseman with a pumpkin or jack-o'-lantern in place of his severed head. However, in the original story, a shattered pumpkin is discovered next to Ichabod Crane's abandoned hat on the morning after Crane's supposed encounter with the Horseman, but the story does not reference carved jack-o'-lanterns or Hallowe'en itself. Only harvest time.
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One must admit the setting at Firestone Field is a perfect backdrop. |
The most infamous specter in Sleepy Hollow is the Headless Horseman, said to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper whose head had been carried away by a cannon-ball during some nameless battle of the American Revolutionary War, and who is ever seen by the country folk hurrying along in the gloom of night, as if on the wings of the wind, and who rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head.
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| This dominant spirit seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air, and is the apparition of a figure on horseback, without a head. |
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| Ichabod Crane |
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| So...who or what's that behind me? |
Still, I do enjoy seeing this.
But imagine adding a bit more...yeah!
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| I do enjoy the ethereal, almost foreboding atmosphere of the 1832 covered bridge. |
Greenfield Village is a couple hundred acres of history, so we roamed about, enjoying the fall and Hallowe'en atmosphere.
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| Moving through the forested land I came upon a building... |
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| Why, it was a church in the clearing... |
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| Could it be a cemetery...? |
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| I made my way into the clearing, and it was a graveyard upon the hill! |
The term graveyard is often used interchangeably with cemetery, but a graveyard primarily refers to a burial ground within a churchyard.
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| The Martha-Mary Chapel with the graveyard next to it. |
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The Corn Creeper - something tells me he didn't come out to see the fall colors... |
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| He looks a bit more intimidating at night! |
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| Silhouette... |
The Hallowe'en Express Train ride has been a highlight since it was added a few years back.
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| "Board one of our ghostly passenger cars for a ride on the Hallowe'en Express." |
"This 20-minute train ride will take you on a tour of ghosts, monsters, and urban legends as it winds through the eerie but enchanted woods of Greenfield Village..."
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| Ghosts on one of the cars. They move up and down - - - |
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| A Werewolf chained up in an old box car. |
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| In ancient folklore, a werewolf is an individual, usually a male, who can shape-shift into a wolf. |
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| My oldest grandchild really liked the ghostly skeleton who moved along the track on a handcar. |
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| As we crossed through the Firestone Farm fields, we could make out the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane. And the many onlookers watching... |
For thousands of years, various cultures have had figures to represent death. One of the most common and enduring of these is the Grim Reaper—usually a skeletal figure, who is often shrouded in a dark, hooded robe and carrying a scythe to “reap” human souls.
The Grim Reaper seems to have appeared in Europe during the 14th century. It was during this time that Europe was dealing with what was then the world’s worst pandemic, the Black Death, believed to be the result of the plague.
But why the skeletal figure?
Why the scythe?
Why the robe?
Skeletons are symbolic of death, representing the human body after it has decayed. The robe is thought to be reminiscent of the robes that religious figures of the time wore when conducting funerary services.
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| And here we see the Grim Reaper - - - |
The scythe is an apt image taken from agricultural practices of the time: harvesters used scythes to reap or harvest crops that were ready to be plucked from the earth…and, well, that’s kind of what happens when humans die: they are plucked from this earth.
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| The Grim Reaper in the daytime is spooky enough, but it is even spookier at night, with the bonfire all aglow. In fact, even bonfires can be considered somewhat spooky: |
The earliest recorded uses of the word "bonfire" dates back to the late 15th century, with the Catholicon Anglicum (an English-to-Latin bilingual dictionary compiled in the late 15th century) spelling it as banefyre, and John Mirk's Book of Festivals speaking of a communal fire in celebrations of Saint John's Eve that "was clene bones & no wode & that is callid a bone fyre". The word is thus a compound of "bone" and "fire."
In other words, bonfires, though in modern times is typically associated with celebrations, backyard burnings, and toasting marshmallows, which are all good things, the bon in bonfire isn't related to the French language for "good." Instead, bonfire actually stems from the Middle English bonefire, literally referring to a fire of bones.
Bonfires were also held in worship of saints, which ignited the word's general meaning of an open-air fire around which people gathered and celebrated. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, this kind of bonfire was used to commemorate events, such as Guy Fawkes Day in Great Britain on November 5 when bonfires, which are still lit to celebrate the fact that King James I and the House of Lords didn't get blown up by a group of conspirators.
And of course, as Autumn rolls through, the time for bonfires and chilly picnics is upon us. But in a more celebratory way.
So let's continue on our train ride - - - -
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| Just a train at a crossing? |
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| Train to Nowhere~ Fire blew from the stack! Where is this train headed? |
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| I've just seen a face I can't forget the time or place... Yes, there is a face you see on this over 300 year old tree! |
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology.
In many of these stories, Trolls have been associated with bridges, and Greenfield Village has the perfect bridge: the Ackley Covered Bridge from 1832. In these stories, trolls are often depicted as large, ugly creatures who are rarely helpful to human beings. They live in isolated places such as rocks, mountains, or caves, but they are also known to dwell under bridges. The belief was that these trolls would try to harm or trick human travelers who crossed their bridge. Over time, this image of the bridge-dwelling troll became a popular motif in fantasy literature and media, leading to the popular association of trolls with bridges that we know today.
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| Look closely and you can see the troll near the bridge... |
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| The troll - - - - |
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| The Druids, Celtic priests, celebrated Samhain, an autumn festival that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, on October 31. |
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| The ancient Druid practice was to circle the tribal Samhain bonfire with the skulls of their ancestors, who would protect the tribe from demons that night. |
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| This creepy ghoul is holding up a warning sign on which is written Caution: Entering Haunted Woods |
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| If you look close, you can see the "Lady in White"~ A Lady in White is a type of female ghost. She is typically dressed in a white dress or similar garment, reportedly seen in rural areas and associated with local legends of tragedy. |
White ladies were supposed to have died tragically or suffered trauma in life. White Lady legends are found around the world. Common to many of them is the theme of losing a child or husband and a sense of purity.
There were some pretty cool ghostly effects throughout the 'haunted woods' area. However, twilight time was setting in and my camera doesn't necessarily always take the best nighttime pictures, especially while we were bumping along on cars being pulled by a steam locomotive. My photos on the later portion of this trip were mostly blurry.
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| As we entered the wooded area, the darkness reigned o'er us, and the headlamp from the front of the train guided our way. |
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| The candle-lit lantern dangling from the side of the train as darkness moved in. |
Throughout the Village were vignettes, including the Wizard of Oz.
In fact, we were moving past that particular set when we heard a voice call out:
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"Oh! I see another witch! Come here, little witch!" My granddaughter, Addy, was pretty excited about that and, though a bit hesitant, moved to say hi. The Wicked Witch asked Addy if she was a good witch or a bad witch. Much to the dismay of the Wicked Witch, Addy replied, "A good witch." Just then, Glinda moved up and the Wicked Witch commented disgustingly, "Here's another who says she's a good witch like you!" And then I snapped this picture. My granddaughter enjoyed this little scenario. |
it was made many years ago, right there at Greenfield Village (back when they used to do such cool activities there). This one was made for the Daggett House. It was given to me probably over twenty years ago - - it's a very cool souvenir, and when Addy saw it, she got very excited and exclaimed that it was a witch's broom, because it's the sort of broom seen in the old stories. She gave me the biggest hug when I told her she could use it for Hallowe'en at Greenfield Village.
Some historians believe gargoyles were inspired from pagan eras and were used to make churches feel more familiar to new Christians. Others said gargoyles were morality lessons in stone, reminding people that while purity and good may be found inside the church, sin and evil are never far away.
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| Oz never did give nothing to the Tin man that he didn't already have... |
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| The scarecrows came alive and posed with my grandkids! The scarecrows didn't speak at all, but then, "Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking." |
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| I'm not sure if this could be considered a gargoyle, a grotesque, or something else, for, by definition, the difference between a gargoyle and a grotesque is: a gargoyle is a decorated waterspout that projects from a roof and carries rainwater away from the walls of a building, protecting it from damage, while a grotesque is a decorative carving that has no functional architectural purpose." Methinks it is simply a winged creature from the netherworld. |
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| Look up at one of the upper center windows. Who dat? Why, it's President Abraham Lincoln! He used to practice law in this very building, so it only makes sense his apparition should appear~ |
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| There are also creepy scarecrow images. |
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| The folks at Greenfield Village gave this guy the name Mr. Irving. |
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| Add the fog...and it looks to be from the great beyond... Out of the three, this may be my favorite. |
For our October 18th trip to Hallowe'en at Greenfield Village, it was the time of The Hunter's Moon. Now, my camera is not a moon camera. In other words, it does not have the capabilities to take high quality shots of the moon.
If it actually does, I have no idea how to work it.
No matter, for I take very few moon pictures anyhow.
That being said, this night, while at Greenfield Village, I took a few snapshots. Even though there are camera's that do much better at this sort of thing, I like the look of the pictures I was able to snatch:
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| October's full Moon is called the Hunter's Moon because it occurs when hunters would traditionally have been most active, planning for the winter months ahead and hunting animals for food. |
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| The Hunter's Moon comes once a year and is always the next full moon after autumn's Harvest Moon. Ahhh! Too many bright spotlights around! They need to be toned down a bit. |
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| Like the harvest moon, the hunter's moon is also particularly bright and long in the sky, giving hunters the opportunity to stalk prey at night. |
The weather was spectacular, and given that we were at a Hallowe'en & harvest/Autumn event in a historical location just added to the entire atmosphere. As I mentioned, I am working on a post that will include the fall color side of Greenfield Village. That should be ready in a few weeks.
Why the wait?
Because I have the month of November to add. But I promise you - it will be worth the wait - -
Because I have the month of November to add. But I promise you - it will be worth the wait - -
Before we go, I would like to add a couple of final notes:
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| Hallowe'en at Greenfield Village 2023~ See the woman second from right dressed in white in this photo taken in October 2023? That's my friend, Mari. She was in my "best friend" category (and there may be only two or three I can put into that category). I use past tense because, sadly, exactly one month after this picture was taken, on November 7, she passed away suddenly. She and I have had many talks about a variety of subjects over the decades we've known each other, mostly about current events, whether on the phone or while visiting in person. Mari also helped me during my darkest time. And then...she died. Just died. And it still hurts. I have no doubt where her soul is---no doubt. But I miss her... |
Mari, though not feeling the best on this night, insisted on joining us.
I am honored.
But I miss my friend so very much...
Now, on a brighter note:
I wrote the following on my Facebook page:
~I am not very knowledgeable about the singer known as "Pink," but in mid-October, she performed two shows in Detroit (Little Caesars Arena), and at her performance on Monday, Oct 14, she said:
“This is my favorite time of year. I am festive. We went to Greenfield Village yesterday. I could live there. I mean, I couldn’t, that’s kind of creepy, but it was so much fun. I went on a steam train, you guys!"
Kinda cool!~
~
Epilogue:
Changes/additions I would like to see at Hallowe'en at Greenfield Village (nothing bad...just suggestions)----
1) There needs to be more excitement with the Headless Horseman & Ichabod Crane. As it is now, they come racing into the yard with excitement, the Headless Horseman chasing Ichabod. Then...nothing. They stop, they walk around, Ichabod may speak with the visitors with Headless right near him in plain sight. And that's what happens for 15 minutes. They really should do more chasing in and out of the haystacks (I remember this sort of thing happening years ago). I must admit, after a couple minutes of waiting, it gets kind of boring. Many people leave grumbling with the same comments as I wrote here. Perhaps tell the story here rather than in the Liberty Craftworks section...
2) Since the telling of ghost stories on Hallowe'en, after harvest activities were completed, when people gathered around a fire and told one another tales of the silenced dead lying in graves nearby was a popular activity in centuries past, this could be a neat addition, and would fit in perfectly with the history, harvest, and Hallowe'en theme. And it could be done down near the Daggett House and the Farris Windmill, since they build a bonfire in that area during Holiday Nights - to me it would be a no-brainer. Tony Lucas and other storytellers would be perfect for such a thing...while the nearby trees shook with the autumn wind.
3) The singing pumpkins and the Lady in White/Mournful Bride are pretty much right next to each other. I think it would be a good idea to turn off the pumpkins while the lady on the Foster Home balcony does her thing, and when she takes a break, the pumpkins can sing.
4) The troll near the Ackley Covered Bridge needs to do more. All it said was "Happy Hallowe'en" and posed for pictures as people moved past.
5) A bit more of an opinion here, but the dancing "skeletons" on the gazebo is, well, let's just say I'd rather hear and see someone reciting a troll story...or a musician performing Hallowe'en songs.
Now---things I enjoyed most:
a) The train ride - Hallowe'en Express. That's an awesome addition!
a) The train ride - Hallowe'en Express. That's an awesome addition!
b) The very beginning of the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane (the initial chase)
c) The Hallowe'en Tree in Liberty Craftworks is always a great site to see. And so is the Corn Creeper
d) Crossing the Ackley Covered Bridge has gotten better (though more fog is needed)
e) The scarecrows over near Susquehanna are pretty cool
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| Before sunset... |
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| Night time on Hallowe'en... |
Here are a couple of photos of my front porch for Hallowe'en 2024. I've tried taking the spirit of Hallowe'en and harvest time and putting them together on my own front porch.
Sadly, after having a couple dozen trick or treaters come last year, this year, we had not a single one show. Nada. Zilch. And we had the good candy, too.
I will give next year a try, and if I get the same, it will be the last year for us handing out candy.
By the way...yes, I kept my porch light on---I shut it off for the darkness picture. It looked so cool with the corn stalks/shocks and our extra large (the great) pumpkin!
Until next time, see you in time.
To check out
Hallowe'en History, please click HERE
Ghosts of Greenfield Village, please click HERE
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