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Santa’s Workshop…the Beginning
It was announced on March 10, 1955 that a 25 acre Santa’s Workshop
was planned to be built on the slopes of Pikes Peak. The village was
to be identical to the one built in Lake Placid, NY. The village in
NY was designed by Arturo Monaco, a former Walt Disney artist. In
the 1940’s an eight-year old girl told the artist what she believed
Santa Claus’ home and village looked like. Mr. Monaco then
translated her image of the magical land into blueprints for an
actual village.
A village of 12 alpine buildings was in the plans to be constructed.
A home for Mr. & Mrs. Claus, 3 workshops, a blacksmith shop, gate
house, reindeer barn, souvenir shop, show house, Mother Hubbard’s
Cupboard and a miniature chapel with nativity.
One of the main attractions is a frozen North Pole that is in the
center of the village. No matter how hot the temperature the pole
remains frozen. A small lake enhances the village setting. Water
winds a course over 2 waterfalls into the lake and then out onto a
water wheel.
June 16, 1956 that young girl’s dream came true when Santa’s
Workshop/North Pole opened for the season. Our Santa (Howard P.
Meehan) certainly didn’t need any extra padding when wearing his red
suit. He was 5’6 ½” tall and wore a size 54 suit!
College girls in colorful gnome costumes were stationed in the
artisan, souvenir and toy shops. Costumes were fashioned in grays
and greens that blended into the woodland setting at the workshop.
It wasn’t an easy task to become one of Santa’s 50 gnomes. You had
to meet very strict qualifications to even be considered. Santa’s
gnomes had to be 5’ to 5’3” tall; 105 to 110 lbs.; reddish or dark
hair; large eyes (preferably blue); dimples and be “quick of step”
and enthusiastic. All gnomes were chosen with careful judging by a
Denver charm school and had to pass aptitude tests in dealing with
the public. Storybook characters, Red Riding Hood, Miss Muffet and
BoPeep were also on hand to tell their stories to children who
stopped and chatted with them.
Rufus Porter was Santa’s hurdy-gurdy man. While Rufus played his
hurdy-gurdy, his pet monkey would politely tip his hat when people
dropped pennies into his cup. Coins collected in the cup were
combined with money from the wishing well to provide gifts for the
needy and orphaned children and Christmastime.
White deer, goats, sheep, burros, ducks and peacocks roamed the park
to the delight of young and old. Special food and bottled milk were
available for guests to feed the animals.
18 year old James Gamble was Santa’s puppeteer. Gamble’s show
featured his 30 Magical Marionettes. Visitors young and old
delighted in Gamble’s “family” : Sam Peabody, a bedraggled lush;
Lavenya May Sprayberry, the buck toothed ballerina; Carmen, a sultry
dancer who shimmied and shaked; Oscar, a hand puppet dragon; Mr.
Bones, a skeleton who comes apart and a chorus line of can-can
girls. Gamble designed and made all his marionettes and his mother,
Mrs. J.C. Gamble designed the wardrobes.
1958 brought Santa’s Workshop’s first “rides”. The Mine Ride was the
first to be added to the park. Later in the season the Stage Coach
and an authentic Fire Engine were featured.
Santa’s Workshop has grown through the years, but pure enjoyment of
the Christmas spirit has remained the same for the past 50 years.
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