Santa's Workshop - Wilmington, NY
- What: This site is an original example of the now ubiquitous "theme park." It was designed in the 1940s by Arto Monaco of Upper Jay as a fantasy village populated by storybook and legendary characters centered around a "North Pole."
- Where: On Whiteface Mountain Memorial Highway [Route 431], and one half mile northwest of intersection with Route 86, Wilmington, New York, Essex County
- When: 1949 - Present
- Contact: This site is open to the public during the summer months and select weekends. Santa's Workshop: P.O. Box 1768 / North Pole, NY 12997
- Phone: (800) 806-0215
- Web: http://www.northpoleny.com
- Click here to add your own memory of Santa's Workshop to our guestbook.
Built after a dream by three prominent Lake Placid businessmen who realized that Americans would be traveling once again after World War II and inspired by a Christmas story told by Julian Reis to his young daughter, Santa’s Workshop is said by many to be the first theme park in America. After all these years of catering to “believers” of all ages, Santa’s Workshop is still going strong. All summer long, families visit–often parents bring their children because they came there with their parents when they were young–and are entertained with musical skits, nursery rhyme characters, and perfectly-scaled amusement rides. Visitors get to see the team of reindeer and their young, some of whom are descended from the original reindeer imported to this Adirondack village in the late 1940s. Of course, the highlight of the day is a visit with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus in their very own house and a chance to touch the icy pole that serves a child’s fantasy as “the North Pole,” which is the actual post office address of this special place.
Additional Photos
Click photos to view full size
Santa and a cast of characters put on musical shows on an outdoor stage several times each day
Vintage advertising poster for Santa's Workshop shows some of the overall site plan for the village
Photo of the entire cast and workers at Santa's Workshop in the early 1950s
Santa and Sam, a favorite character of children, wave to the daily crowd
Children dance with Santa and some favorite animal characters at Santa's Workshop
Visitors get to see Santa's team of live reindeer up close
A small boy can't resist sticking his tongue on the "North Pole," an iced pole in the center of the village, which is a must stop and a photo opportunity for most visitors
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