Complete with an electrical chair and ghost themed ship, Tilson Street located in the historical village of Romeo, has become one of Michigan’s most visited haunted attractions. Some of these homes have not only spookiness due to the scares that cover them, but also because they date back to the early 1850's and are rumored to be haunted. 
Tilson Street has always been a huge pride of the residents of Romeo, Michigan. As a student of the high school, early October always seemed to bring a sense of excitement. I remember running through Tilson Street with my cross country team and getting a first hand sneak peek at all the frightening and spine chilling skeletons and ghouls that filled each of the homeowner’s lawns.
The lawns hold all kinds of haunted treasures, from tombstones with humorous names and quotes, to unique and detail filled carved pumpkins that sit aside corn stalks. Cobwebs embellish the exterior of the traditional brick homes and white sheet ghosts, some even so complex they they move, sit in the windows peeking to the 75,000+ visitors from all over the state who come to revel in the haunts.
Every year homeowners continue to up their game by designing the equivalents to theater sets.This year, one of the homeowners has created a skeleton hockey rink. My favorites have included a ghost skeleton ship that gives off a very "Pirates of the Caribbean" vibe, only more dead-like. A skeleton saloon that brings you into the abandoned ghost towns of the wild west, and my personal favorite, an avant guard skeleton ball that is complete with skeletons dressed in ornate ball gown attire and masquerade masks.
A favorite attraction every year is the electrical chair that offers realistic shocking and electrical sounds and crazy neon flashy lights, it challenges even some of the bravest souls.
Due to the fact that it is a public street, the public is free to tour it whenever they’d like. And trick-or-treating is provided to anyone. Last year, altogether the 30 families who call the street their home passed out a whopping 60,000 pieces of candy in just one night.
The homeowners who fund everything on their own raise money by selling Tilson Street T-shirts. All the sales benefit a local scholarship that they use towards the Romeo High School’s (local high school) athletic program and to US veterans. They also have a day in October where they hold their event called Kid’s Kicking Cancer Organization. Children fighting juvenile cancer have the opportunity to go trick-or-treating with their families, which some have never had this experience before.
The best part about a spooky walk or a moonlit drive down the spine-chilling street is the fact that you can see all the handwork and attention to detail that these people put into making the street a fun, frightening and family-experience for kids of all ages to enjoy. It’s nice to see a community despite it’s small size continue to make a colossal impact because of such a unique and longstanding tradition. So this Halloween if your willing to make the trip or happen to be close by, dress up in something startling, pack your family and friends into the mini van, and bring your pets along to a happy haunting on Tilson Street, it will be sure to cause quite a scare!
Check out more information about Tilson Street at their website, http://www.terrorontillson.com. and be sure to follow them on Facebook.
