For five years, Michael Myers stood watch over the corner of Elm Avenue and Brook Drive in Churchville.
Not the real one, of course, but a life-size mannequin of the iconic horror villain that quietly became one of Bucks County’s more unlikely neighborhood landmarks, writes Jo Ciavaglia for Bucks County Courier Times.
What started as a Halloween display by resident Jim Cole eventually took on a life of its own.
The life-sized figure never really left for the off-season; instead, Cole dressed him for Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and July Fourth.
The neighborhood took notice. Residents started using the mannequin as a navigation landmark. Children tracked his seasonal wardrobe changes. Strangers pulled over to snap photos.
“People look out for Mike,” Cole said. “People use it for directions, I heard. ‘See Mike Myers and turn left.’”
However, not all residents have been so enthused.
Earlier this year, a couple photographed the display, and Northampton Township officials later informed Cole that anchoring the mannequin to a street sign violated township ordinances. Mike had to come down, relocated back to the family’s property.
The backlash was swift. Hundreds of commenters flooded social media to express their disappointment and rally around the fan-favorite Halloween display.
For now, the mannequin stands on the Cole family’s porch, displaced but not retired, while the family weighs options for a more visible home.
