Santa's Candy Castle facts for kids

Santa's Candy Castle, located in Santa Claus, Indiana, is a fun place to visit. It's a tourist attraction that celebrates Christmas traditions and decorations. Imagine a real castle, but filled with candy and holiday cheer!

The castle first opened on December 22, 1935. It was designed by an artist named Emil Straus. The building is made of red bricks and looks just like a castle. It has a cool tower with battlements, a small turret, and a round room called a rotunda.

How Santa Claus Town Began

The idea for Santa Claus Town came from a man named Milton Harris. He was an entrepreneur from Vincennes. Mr. Harris noticed that the town of Santa Claus, Indiana, had a special name. Its post office had even been shown in Robert Ripley’s famous Believe It or Not cartoon.

Milton Harris saw a great opportunity. He rented most of the land in and around the town. He also got support from big toy companies across the country. Santa Claus Town officially started when Santa’s Candy Castle opened in 1935.

Fun Attractions Added

In 1936, two more exciting places were added to Santa Claus Town.

The Toy Village

The Toy Village featured several small fairytale buildings. Each building was unique and sponsored by a well-known toy company. Inside these buildings, kids could play with all the popular toys of that time. It was like a giant playground!

Santa's Workshop

Also in 1936, Santa's Workshop was built. This workshop had a real wood shop inside. Visitors could watch someone dressed as Santa Claus making wooden toys by hand. One popular toy made there was a wooden sleigh with Santa and his reindeer.

Spreading Christmas Cheer

Santa Claus Town also worked with stores to sell toys. They had a special mail-order service. Big stores like Marshall Field's would arrange for toys bought in their Chicago store to be sent from Santa Claus Town. These toys would have a "Santa Claus Seal of Approval." They would also be postmarked from the town’s famous post office. This made the toys feel extra special!

Impact on the Town

Santa Claus Town helped the local community grow. It led to the creation of the town’s Chamber of Commerce. This group helps local businesses. It also led to the town's first newspaper.

Santa Claus Town even caught the eye of another entrepreneur, Carl Barrett. He was inspired to build the town's famous Santa Claus statue. This statue is still standing today! Santa Claus Town also influenced other Santa Claus-themed attractions across the United States.

Restoring the Magic

Santa's Candy Castle was closed for a while. But it was restored and reopened to the public on July 26, 2006. The magic was brought back! Santa's Workshop is also being restored, so more of the original attractions can be enjoyed again.

In December 2017, Santa's Candy Castle was even featured on a TV show. It appeared on an episode of the Travel Channel's Man v. Food.