Suburban Skyview: Evil spirits beware; grotesques watch over downtown Arlington Heights

A pair of grotesques, pockmarked and weathered from watching over downtown Arlington Heights for nearly a quarter-century, are half a set of four that perch atop a seven-story apartment and condominium building on Vail Avenue.

Grotesques, which are merely decorative, and gargoyles, which are equipped with downspouts and help divert water from the walls of buildings, are traditionally thought to ward off evil spirits, which seems appropriate as Halloween approaches.

This view was taken with a drone's telephoto lens from an altitude roughly equal to the height of the grotesques, which are most often viewed from street level.

In just a couple of days, trick-or-treaters will clog the sidewalks, and most won't notice as these mythical figures stand sentry above.

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