My Hometown: Anoka, Minnesota

Alyssa and Tony Baguss get a thrill out of raising their sons Lane, 17, and Neil, 14, in a quaint town surrounded by the Mississippi and Rum rivers, where over-the-top Halloween celebrations are a major attraction.

By Caren Oppenheim

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Population: 17,594

Claim to Fame: In 1920 Anoka threw the first known Halloween celebration in the U.S. Seventeen years later Congress officially recognized the city's self-proclaimed title of "Halloween Capital of the World."

Tony and I were born and raised in Maquoketa, Iowa. We started dating in high school, got married, and moved to Minnesota so I could attend art school there. After I graduated, we wanted to settle in a suburb of the Twin Cities—a real estate agent showed us Anoka and we were instantly hooked.

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