The Story Behind Lansing’s Groesbeck Giant Skeletons

If you live in the Lansing area and you haven't driven through the Groesbeck neighborhood sometime in the last year, please do yourself a favor and cruise through at your earliest opportunity. Nestled in Groesbeck, Lansing's upper eastside neighborhood, is a house that is home to a pair of larger-than-life front yard decorations: a couple of 12 foot tall skeletons.

But these skeletons aren't just out for Halloween. Oh no... these bad boys have been out, on and off throughout the last year. And I got the scoop from the owners of the skeletons themselves.

Owners James Pyle and Devin Dockery first adorned their front lawn with these giant skeletons for Halloween. However, as COVID-19 and quarantine continued, they decided to get some extra use out of Mr. and Ms. Bones (the adorable names for these two giant front lawn skeletons). During quarantine, the Groesbeck neighborhood was encouraged to put out all kinds of holiday decorations. Just something to help bring a bit of light to a dark and heavy situation. And things took off from there...

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Pyle and Dockery have continued to bring smiles to people's faces by keeping the skeletons out and dressing them up for various holidays: Christmas, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and Easter. So far, Pyle doesn't necessarily have a favorite display, but he did say that the "Easter display was the best for pictures, with all the bright and fun colors." I'm sure all the displays are all very well loved. Pyle mentioned that the skeletons are so popular with the neighborhood that when the owners do take them down to change their outfits, they get all kinds of messages asking where Mr. and Ms. Bones have gone and when they'll be back.

Mr. and Ms. Bones have had a bit of a break over the summer, but they're back up now.  This time around they're rocking some grass skirts and leis. You have a little bit of time left to check them out in person before they have to come down for their next "wardrobe change." The skeletons aren't treated very differently from those cement geese that people put on their front porch and decorated with various outfits, so naturally, Pyle and Dockery are going to be changing up their outfits for Halloween. Not only that, but they have some other surprises planned for the spooky holiday as well!

I'm so excited to see what they have planned next! If you want to check out the skeletons before they lose their summer vibes, just travel along Wood street between Lake Lansing and Oakland and look for the house with the two giant skeletons in the front yard...you can't miss it.

What do you think Mr. and Ms. Bones will be dressed up as next? We'd love to hear your predictions. Just send us a message using our station app.