Harrison Boulevard, which was originally named 17th street and then later renamed after President Benjamin Harrison, has a deep rich history, the most recent of which is hectic nights of trick or treating and Halloween fun. The street has become one of the most visited locations on Halloween in Boise, Idaho due to the extravagant decorations and manor-type houses. An estimated 6,000 people visited Harrison Boulevard in 2021.
The boulevard is also a great location to visit at night a week or two before. People can be found walking this street in anticipation, waiting for Halloween to arrive. Harrison Boulevard can be a fun activity/place to go prior to Halloween. The event is called, “Halloween on Harrison.”
“Me and my family went to Harison Boulevard a lot as a kid, it was really fun,” said sophomore Graham Patterson. The street can be fun to see due to the eerie feelings from the homes. The houses on this street were built between 1901 and 1942, which makes some of the homes more than eighty years old. In 1980, Harrison Boulevard officially became listed in the “National Register of Historic Places”, being located in the historic district of Boise’s North End. Harrison Boulevard is sometimes referred to as, “Boise’s first planned community.”
“When I went to Harison Boulevard as a kid there were a lot of crazy looking costumes everywhere,” said sophomore Will Anderson. People come in crazy costumes every year, but it is always family friendly. There are very extravagant themes every year, ranging from popular media such as Harry Potter, The Wizard of Oz and Ghost Busters. There are always classic decorations and themes such as graveyards, insane asylums and old school haunted houses. However, every year the residents that live on this street try to decorate with something different than in the past to be fresh.
Although the days before Halloween are fun, Halloween night is the main event when there is live music on the street and food vendors. Although Harrison Boulevard is very busy, it is never too busy to enjoy the fun. If one would like to avoid large crowds, then head to the street the week or two prior to Halloween night. This can make Harrisson Boulevard a very fun place to visit. Make it a tradition to keep this street in mind when thinking of what to do for the Halloween season.
