Santa's Village (Scotts Valley) facts for kids
| Location | Scotts Valley, California United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°03′56″N 121°59′51″W / 37.065433°N 121.997401°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opened | May 30, 1957 |
| Closed | 1979 |
| Theme | Christmas |
Santa's Village was a fun Christmas-themed amusement park that welcomed visitors from 1957 to 1979. It was located in Scotts Valley, California, in the United States. Imagine a place where it felt like Christmas all year round!
Contents
Exploring Santa's Village History
How the Park Began
In 1956, a dairy farm called Lawridge was leased. It was right next to Highway 17 in Scotts Valley. A developer named Glenn Holland leased this land. He had a cool idea to build a Christmas-themed park.
Glenn Holland had already created another park like this. It was called Santa's Village (Lake Arrowhead). That park opened in 1955 in San Bernardino County. He even built a third Santa's Village later on. That one was in Illinois and is now known as Santa's Village AZoosment Park.
Grand Opening Day
Santa's Village in Scotts Valley officially opened its doors on May 30, 1957. It was a very exciting day! A Danish man named Carl Hansen played the role of Santa Claus. Alma Ragon was Mrs. Claus, helping Santa greet all the guests. Carl Hansen later became famous on TV. He starred as Hocus Pocus The Clown and Magician on KNTV.
Fun Rides and Attractions
This Christmas park had some really unique attractions. The main rides included a thrilling bobsled. There was also a spinning Christmas tree ride. And of course, you could ride Santa's Express train!
Besides the rides, there were other cool things to see. Kids loved the petting zoo. There was a giant Jack-in-the-Box. You could also see an equally huge Santa's boot! Inside the park, you could explore an Alice in Wonderland hall of mirrors. There was even a frozen, candy cane-striped North Pole! All the people who worked at the park dressed up like elves.
Changes and Closing
In August 1966, Glenn Holland sold the park. A developer named Noorudin Billawala took over. Unfortunately, in 1977, the company that owned Santa's Village faced some problems. They had to file for bankruptcy. This meant the park closed for good in 1979.
Years later, in 1990, a company called Borland International bought the land. They built their main office there. Even today, if you drive on Highway 17, you can still see a reminder of the park. The freeway exit signs still say "Santa's Village Road"!
