Local light display ongoing

By Staff
Jason Cannon, FCT Publisher
If Franklin County ever wanted its very own Clark Griswold, it's certainly got one.
With approximately a quarter of a million lights and Christmas signs up to 22 feet long strewn across their three-acres, Bob and Gail Keating are putting on a Christmas spectacular like no other.
The Keating's "Christmas in the Country" is the couple's annual mega watt light display while promoting Christmas.
"What we do, is make Christmas the base of the whole thing and work around that," Bob said. "A lot of people will put up a lot of decorations, but you never see anything that says 'Christmas.'"
Bob said he and his wife have mixed traditional decorations, like lights and wreaths, with non-traditional displays like a Merry Christmas sign that spans nearly 22-feet and a sign the shape of a birthday cake that says "Happy Birthday Jesus."
The Keatings have also installed special power boxes to handle the wattage and output generated by the Christmas lights. The Keating's display is lit up each night from 6 to 11 p.m. but is cancelled in the event of rain. There is no charge to view the lights. To see the display, take 243 to mile marker 8. Turn left on 79 and left on 89 (East Franklin School Road). The Keating's home is located at 468 Highway 89.