My Kids LOVE visiting The North Pole, the home of Santa’s Workshop! It’s an enchanting amusement park nestled in the mountains of Cascade, CO, just west of Colorado Springs. If you haven’t been yet, this is a great year to check it out as they celebrate their 60th birthday! My children and I had the opportunity to visit this past week and enjoy the festivities, and we had a blast!
History of The North Pole
On March 10, 1955 an announcement was made that a 25-acre Santa’s Workshop would be built on the slopes of Pikes Peak. The village was to be identical to the one built in Lake Placid, New York, after Life magazine ran a story about it.
The village in New York was designed by Arto Monaco, a former Walt Disney artist. In the 1940s, an 8-year old girl told the artist what she believed Santa Claus’ home and village looked like. Monaco then translated her image of the magical land into blueprints for an actual village. A group of people in Colorado Springs saw the article in Life magazine and felt it could also be successful on Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs.
When the park first opened, it was just Santa and the Village along with craftsmen –there were no rides in the park.
The original investors had enough money to build the North Pole but didn’t have sufficient funds to keep it going, and several investors had dropped out. Two major investors, Art Hertzberger and George Haggard, worked together to keep the park going. By the late ‘60s, Hertzberger sold his part to the Haggard family. The Haggard family continues to run the park to this day; they’ve worked there for three generations.
Since the park opened on June 16, 1956, it has changed from a village of craftsmen to a family amusement park. The North Pole continues to maintain the scenic alpine village of the original park. In the center of the park is a pole (yes, the North Pole) made of ice that never melts.
The North Pole has always dedicated itself to helping children in need. Operation Toy Lift, initiated at the opening of the park in 1956, brings foster children and their families to the park for a day of fun. This year Santa’s Workshop expects more than 1,200 guests for this event!
My kids favorite rides are the zip line and Tilt-a-Whirl! Everyone at the park is very friendly and helpful, and it’s always fun to pop in for a visit with Santa Claus! Be sure to stop by this year for a day of family fun and the feeling of “Christmas” all year
