North Pole in front of Santa's House

For some, the essence of Christmas is eating their grandmother's mashed potatoes and for others it's just seeing and feeling the Christmas spirit.

If you are one of those people who enjoys sitting on Santa's lap or naming all the reindeer, then there is a place for you. It's called Santa's Workshop .

Santa's Workshop… What is it?

Santa's workshop sits on twenty-five acres of land, and has thirty-four buildings on site. Most buildings are log cabins, and each holds a different event. Santa's House, the reindeer barn, a glass blower's house, a candy shop, and a candle shop are some of the featured buildings.

Glass Blower's House.

The midpoint of the park is marked by a cylinder of ice indicating the visitor that they are at the North Pole. This pole is here year round with frost around it. As the visitor goes on, they will find Santa's house where there is a list of children's names and their behavior over the year. There is also Mrs. Claus, who is in her bedroom fixing Santa's suit for the big day. Of course, there is Santa, in his living room, welcoming the children to come and sit on his lap.

"This park is truly for the lovers of Christmas," says Bob Reiss, one of the principal owners of the park.

The park has actual reindeers, which came from Alaska in 1983. During the season, these reindeer are hitched to a sleigh, where they perform a Christmas Capers Show with Santa Claus. There is also a barn where visitors can see the reindeer; above each stall is the name of the reindeer.

There are also a few rides for children, such as the sleigh ride, and during the summer, there is a small petting zoo. There is also a talking Christmas tree that speaks to the children as they pass by.

"It's been a wonderful 52 years of being able to bring this special moment to everyone," says Reiss.

Current owner Bob Reiss sitting in Santa's chair

According to Reiss, there will be a time when he will not be directly involved with the park any longer, and he feels that this situation will have a big impact on his life.

Reiss says the park is filled with great memories, which he is happy to be a part of.

"Whenever I see people in the park, they tell me about their experiences coming here as a child," says Reiss. "And, now they are bringing their children to enjoy the fun of Christmas."

The big red man's little red house.

The History and Turmoil

Santa's workshop opened in July of 1949. The idea of the theme park sprung from a story that a father told his young daughter. This story was about a baby bear whose curiosity led him to discover Santa Claus and his North Pole Workshop. The little girl's eagerness to visit this mythical place pressed the father, Julian Reiss, a Lake Placid businessman, to show children the place where Santa lives year round.

Reiss took the idea of the theme park to Arto Monaco, of Jay, New York—a man who had prior experience in the movie industry. Monaco took the designs and layout for the visual concept to Harold Fortune, the third founder of the North Pole theme park. Fortune contributed the construction know-how, the site on Whiteface Mountain, and a natural talent for promotion.

After a couple years of business, the Reiss family went through financial hardship by signing a faulty contract. The situation resulted in them not opening the park for the 2001 season. They eventually overcame this dilemma by teaming up with Douglas Waterbury, who helped them continue the park's operation.

Any questions? Email us.