Santa Claus (the man, the legend, the icon), has had a summer home in Santa Claus, Indiana, (the town, the hamlet, the village), ever since — well, ever since there was a town named Santa Claus (founded in 1849). When the thermometer rises above 75º — the humidity with it — Ol’ Santa hangs out at Holiday World in his namesake town, although never has it been reported he dips his toes in the water at Splashin’ Safari.
He also spends a goodly amount of time — even in fall and winter — at the Santa Claus Village & Museum, located on SR 245, where the town’s first Post Office and 1880 Deutsch Evangelische St. Paul’s Kirche (church for you non- German speakers) are located, along with a museum filled to the rafters with all things Santa Claus and a 22-foot tall statue of that right jolly old elf himself, dedicated December 25, 1935.
But there is one thing dear Santa never had at his southern Indiana hangout — sort of like the Scarecrow with no brain or Lion with no courage — Santa Claus never had his very own office!
That is until now.
You can read the full story in this week’s edition of the Spencer County Leader!
Photos by Kathy Tretter
