North Pole, Santa's Workshop......... BACK TO TOP

1863
The American image of Santa Claus was further elaborated by illustrator Thomas Nast, who depicted a rotund Santa for Christmas issues of Harper's magazine from the 1860s to the 1880s. Children naturally wanted to know where Santa Claus actually came from. Where did he live when he wasn't delivering presents? Nast added such details as Santa's Workshop at the North Pole and Santa's list of the good and bad children of the world.

1925
In 1925, since grazing reindeer would not be possible at the North Pole, newspapers revealed that Santa Claus in fact lived in Finnish Lapland.

1927
"Uncle Markus", Markus Rautio, who compared the popular "Children's hour" on Finnish public radio, revealed the great secret for the first time in 1927: Santa Claus lives on Lapland's Korvatunturi - "Ear Fell"

Present Day North Pole, Santa's Workshop : ) .......... BACK TO TOP

Napapiiri, Finland

Since the North Pole was an agreeable neutral territory but, realistically, unihabitable, the clever people from Finland's Lapland have seemed to lay claim to Santa's North Pole. Seems somewhat natural as that is where lots of reindeer come from (200,000).

See this link describes the thinking:
http://groups.msn.com/965172qg02rbm4ek3a6e7udur5/

Korvatunturi is in Finnish Lapland where Santa lives. Santa wanted to make sure his hiding place was not invaded with visitors and hit upon a brilliant idea that would allow all his friends and anyone who loved Christmas to come and meet him.

Ok and here's the story:
Since the 1950s, Santa has happily sojourned near the Arctic Circle at Napapiiri, near Rovaniemi, at times other than Christmas, to meet children and the young at heart. By 1985 his visits to Napapiiri had become so regular that he established his own Santa Claus Office there. He comes there every day of the year to hear what children want for Christmas and to talk with children who have arrived from around the world. Santa Claus Village is also the location of Santa's main Post Office, which receives children's letters from the four corners of the world. By 1985 his visits to Napapiiri had become so regular that he established his own Santa Claus Office there. He comes there every day of the year to hear what children want for Christmas and to talk with children who have arrived from around the world. Santa Claus Village is also the location of Santa's main Post Office, which receives children's letters from the four corners of the world.



Oh, and Santa does have an address: .......... BACK TO TOP
Snail mail:
Santa still prefers ordinary snail mail to anything else. And he certainly gets plenty: more than 700,000 letters a year!

You can write to him at:
Santa Claus
Arctic Circle
96930 Rovaniemi
Finland

Alaska, USA

City of North Pole website 12/18/06 wikipedia
125 Snowman Lane
North Pole, Alaska 99705
Phone: (907) 488-2281

Fox News Article

The name "North Pole" is well suited for an Alaska town, even if the town is 1,750 miles from its namesake at the top of the world. Letters from children all over the world are mailed to North Pole at Christmas each year. Santa's helpers are hired to respond to the thousands of letters mailed to North Pole each Christmas.

According to legend, in 1944, Bon Davis homesteaded the area. Dahl and Gaske Development Co. later bought the Davis homestead, subdivided it and named it North Pole, hoping to attract a toy manufacturer who would advertise products as being made in North Pole. The Santa Claus House was subsequently developed by the Miller family.

Letters from Santa website
Santa Claus House, 101 St. Nicholas Drive, North Pole, AK 99705
1-800-588-4078


Link ©Wayne C. Grieme, DBA Frontier Foto

The city of North Pole Alaska was incorporated in 1953. Growth from Fairbanks and Eielson Air Force Base have increased development over the years

Sunshine - Shortest Day: December 21 - 3 hours 42 minutes
Sunshine - Longest Day: June 21 - 21 hours 49 minutes
Population: 1,750