Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Guide
Thursday, November 23, 1961, page 6 (of 28)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
Ho! Ho! Ho! 'Real' Santa Coming Callin'
When Santa arrives at his startling, exciting new "home" at NW 37th Avenue and 7th Street on Friday, he will be the nearest thing there is in this world to a "real Santa Claus." His name is Jim Yellig (that information is for grownups only) and for the past 29 years he has lived the role of the jolly old fellow for the world famous Santa Claus Land in Santa Claus, Indiana. Back in 1930, Jim, now 66, was stationed on the battleship New York. Suddenly he found himself talked into playing the role of Santa for some children in a Brooklyn orphanage. Jim got such a feeling of enjoyment in his new role that he has been Santa Claus ever since. Two years later he returned to his home town of Santa Claus, Ind., and settled down for more than a quarter century of being Santa Claus. The town of Santa Claus got its name in 1852 when a child burst into a meeting of the village elders and cried "Santa is here." The town's people had gathered to discuss the naming of their community. And since that day the community of only 14 families has become the world headquarters for Santa Claus and the mailing address for more than four million letters annually. Each year upwards of two and a half million sightseers visit the quaint little village that is built upon the soil that Abraham Lincoln spent 14 years of his youth hunting and fishing. The world's largest Christmas tree is said to be at Santa Claus Land. A hair higher than 67 feet, the tree is covered each Christmas with more than 1,000 lights connected by several miles of wiring and 1,000 ornaments. In 1946 Louis J. Koch, a wealthy industrialist, built Santa Claus Land and opened it to the public. Koch, an Evansville, Ind., manufacturer of industrial equipment and wrought iron furniture, refuses to allow outside concessions within the confines of Santa Claus Land. He insists that the institution remain above over-commercialism.
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Clip This For Use On Friday
Following is the schedule for the arrival of the one and only "official" Santa Claus at Central Shopping Plaza on Friday, Nov. 24: 10 a.m. - Santa arrives at Watson Island, MacArthur Causeway, via Goodyear blimp. Welcomed by Mayor High and other dignitaries. 10:30 a. m. - Motorcade leaves Watson Island via MacArthur Causeway to Biscayne Blvd., south to Biscayne Terrace Hotel, Santa's residence while here. 10:50 a.m.-Motorcycle continues south on Biscayne Boulevard to NE 1st Street, west to NW 1st Avenue, south to Flagler Street, east to Biscayne Boulevard, south to SE 1st Street, west to SW 5th Avenue, north to Flagler Street, west to 27th Avenue, north to 7th Street, and west to Central Shopping Plaza at 37th Avenue. 11:30 a.m - Motorcade arrives at Central; Santa and dignitaries take platform for official introduction and opening of WINZ - Central Santa Claus Land. 12 Noon - Santa enters his headquarters for first visits by children. See Santa At Central Plaza
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