Dinosaurs and skeletons: The real-life story behind Raleigh's famous Oakwood Halloween House

His house, located at 504 Oakwood Ave., has become a Halloween destination with cars slowing to gawk at the many decorations that adorn his entire lawn and porch. Jones, an attorney, started his Halloween decorating about eight years ago. It has since grown into a labor of ghoulish love.

"When I was growing up we didn't do a big Halloween," Jones said. "My dad saw it as a waste of time. I said, when I got my own house, I'm going to have a big Halloween."

Throughout the years his decorations have included many life-sized animated figures, a giant large green dinosaur, gargoyles, zombies and even a dragon. He has about 50 life-sized figures and around 1,000 individual decorations like spiders and bats.

"I used to always see those people who did this for Christmas and think they were crazy and now I am doing it," Jones said.

Triangle Halloween Events

Jones, who declined to be on camera for this story, said on Halloween he gets into costume and hosts a party for his friends, who all bring candy for the trick-or-treaters. But don't expect it to be an easy stroll to the door.

"On Halloween I bring out a lot of really high-end pieces," Jones said of his decorations, which include props from "The Walking Dead" and other productions. "Most of the kids don't make it to get candy because we have so many scares out here...snakes drop down from trees."

Jones encourages people from outside of the Oakwood area to visit on Halloween night.

"I live in a great community because they allow me to do this year after year. It causes all kinds of problems with traffic," Jones said, noting that police are hired to help block off the streets on Halloween night so revelers can wander the streets to see the decorations.