The REAL Santa Claus...
Located in Spencer County Indiana, this quaint little town got its name on Christmas Eve, 1852. A child heard the sound of bells outside and rang out, "Santa! It's Santa Claus!" The elders agreed and thus it got its name. 

Santa Claus Statue

The entrance to this quiet town is marked by a giant Santa statue surrounded by corn fields.  Twenty-two feet high and made of granite, it weighs over forty tons. The base alone, in the shape of the Star of Bethlehem, with its principal point showing the way East to the land of the Christmas legend, is over twenty feet across, rising one and one half feet above the ground and set about four feet into it. Located on Highway 245 in Santa Claus.

SANTA CLAUS, IN-----The history of the nation’s first theme park is the story of a family which has, for three generations, dedicated itself to providing millions of guests with good, old-fashioned family fun.

Evansville, Indiana, industrialist Louis J. Koch created the nation’s first theme park as a retirement project. He was troubled that the tiny hamlet of Santa Claus, Ind., was visited by children from throughout the country who were ultimately disappointed when they found out Santa was not there. With nine children of his own, Koch loved children, holidays and celebrations.

Koch was actually planning to open his park earlier in the 1940s, but World War Two forced him to wait until 1946. Santa Claus Land originally contained a toy shop, toy displays, themed children’s rides, a restaurant, and, of course, Santa Claus.

When Louis J. Koch’s son Bill returned from the war, Bill was curious to see what his father was up to. At first, he admits, he thought his father had created a great folly. But he worked with his father and before long became the head of Santa Claus Land; he remains the chairman of the company. In 1960, Bill married "Santa’s daughter," Patricia Yellig. The couple had five children; the eldest, Will, is now the president and general manager of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, and the youngest, Natalie, is Director of Operations and Human Resources.

Over the decades, Santa Claus Land grew and flourished. Children from throughout the country came to sit on the real Santa’s knee and talk glowingly about their Christmas wishes. Guests included Ronald Reagan, who stopped by in 1955.

As the park expanded, the Koch family knew that Christmas was just one of the theming possibilities for the park. In 1984, Santa Claus Land grew to include Halloween and Fourth of July sections, and the park’s name was changed to Holiday World. Larger rides were added, including the very popular Raging Rapids white water raft ride and Frightful Falls log flume. In all, Holiday World features 100 acres of rides, shows, games, and attractions.

In 1852 Santa Claus was named Santa Fe, and was toe-to-toe with another Santa Fe, IN, that had the name first. According to some reports (vigorously protested by some Santa Claus loyalists) the first Santa Fe threatened legal action against the town, forcing a group of local elders to come up with a new name. Whatever their motivation, no one argues that, on Christmas Eve, they heard a young child yell "It's Santa Claus!" and they decided that indeed it was.

The entrance to this quiet town is marked by a giant Santa statue surrounded by corn fields. The Santa Claus post office postmarks about 200,000 holiday cards and a half-million Santa letters each Christmas — it's where the U.S. Postal Service really sends letters addressed to Mr. Claus (Santa's zip is 47579, in case your kids ask). Santa Claus even has a Santa Claus Cemetery.

The commercial potential of Santa Claus was not mined until 1946, when Santa Claus Land — the world's first theme park — was built. Unfortunately, Santa Claus Land diversified into "Holiday World." in the 1980s. Santa now shares billing with "4th of July" and "Halloween" and the park isn't even open on Christmas.

A Santa attraction is an odd place to be on a 90 degree-plus July afternoon, but the days when Santa could take the summer off are over. The lean, mean '90s are taking their toll — and not just in Santa's char-broiled domain. A housing development on one side of the park — Holiday Village — has streets named New Year's Eve, Good Friday Blvd. and Easter Circle, diluting the mystique of a town named Santa Claus. On the other side, Christmas Lake Village offers hope — but the community is off-limits behind security gates! Come on, Santa Claus. What kind of message are you sending?

Roadside America

Holiday World Timeline

1941    Louis J. Koch visits the town of Santa Claus, Indiana, and begins plans to open what will become the world’s first theme park.

1945    Construction of Santa Claus Land begins (August 4).

1946    Opening day of the world’s first theme park, Santa Claus Land (August 3); includes The Freedom Train, which continues to operate to this day.

1947    Jeep-go-round added (first ever manufactured).

1955    Pleasureland ride section opens in the area that is now called Rudolph’s Reindeer Ranch.  Admission was charged for the first time: 50 cents for adults, children free. Actor and future president Ronald Reagan visits in March.

1959-1961   The Willie Bartley Water Ski Thrill Show, featuring "Human Kites" performs on Lake Rudolph each summer.

1970-1971    The Santa Claus Choir, made up of local children, performs regularly at the park.

Early ’70s Additional children’s rides added, such as Blitzen’s Airplanes, Comet’s Rockets, Prancer’s Merry-Go-Round.

1976    Entrance to park moved from State Road 162 to State Road 245. Eagle’s Flight added (only a few of this classic "Flying Scooters" ride are left in the world), as well as the Roundhouse and the Virginia Reel (tilt-a-whirl).

1984    Santa Claus Land undergoes a major expansion project and changes name to Holiday World. There are now three themed sections in the park: Christmas, Halloween and 4^th of July. Frightful Falls log flume added.

1986    The Banshee added to the Halloween section.

1990    Raging Rapids white water raft ride added.

1991    Kringle’s Kafe built.

1993    Splashin’ Safari water park added, including the Congo River, Crocodile Isle, and the AmaZOOM and Bamboo Chute water slides.

1994    The Wave pool added to Splashin’ Safari.

1995    The Raven wooden roller coaster opens in Holiday World’s Halloween section. Voted "Ride of the Year" and the #2 Wooden Roller Coaster on the Planet. Featured on the CBS news magazine "48 Hours" and The Discovery Channel.           

1998    Monsoon Lagoon added to Splashin’ Safari. The Raven is again voted #2 Wooden Coaster in the World and parks’ staff voted #1 Friendliest in the World.

1999    Holidog's FunTown added to 4^th of July section. The Raven voted #2 Wooden Coaster in the World and parks’ staff voted #1 Friendliest in the World.

2000    The Legend wooden roller coaster opens in Holiday World’s Halloween section. Parks begin offering free, unlimited soft drinks to guests—the only park in the world to do so.

Updated 3/29/00

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