Halloween is just around the corner, and the folks at The Champ Clark House are ready. The Champ Clark House (Honeyshuck) will welcome trick-or-treaters Friday night, Oct. 31 from 5:30 p.m. until the last bit of candy is gone. This is a first for the home, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is the one-time home of Speaker of the House Champ Clark and family. In addition to sweets, the home will be decorated in Halloween finery, with lights and spooks of all sorts. Incoming board president Nathan Lilley designed a limited edition Halloween sticker for the inaugural event, which features Mr. Clark popping out of a period-appropriate jack o’ lantern. These will be given away with candy, while supplies last.

The Champ Clark House recently hosted its annual banquet with guest speaker the Hon. John C. (Jack) Danforth.

Greeting trick-or-treaters is just one of a number of new community-based initiatives at the house. Plans are in the works for a Christmas open house in December, an art contest in early 2015, and a weekly reading hour for youngsters in summer 2015. Other events will be announced as details become available. For updates follow The Champ Clark House on Facebook, and visit www.champclark.org.