For years, Kevin Klosowski would drive by the neglected castle and think of what it must have been like – and what it could be like again. Dedicated in 1935, the castle on the outskirts of Santa Claus, Indiana, was slowly sinking into disrepair.
“I thought it was the coolest building,” Klosowski said. “My wife had extended family in the area so we would see it when we came down … I thought it was so wild and crazy to see a castle in the middle of a cornfield in Indiana.”
When Klosowski heard that the historic building might be for sale, he jumped at the chance to make his dream come true. On May 2005, Klosowski bought the castle. The Chicago accountant and his family moved to the Santa Claus area and began the tedious project of restoring Santa’s Candy Castle.
“I’ve been told I was crazy,” he said. “I’ve been told I could rebuild for less than half of what it would cost to fix this place up. The castle was in dismal shape.”
But it isn’t any longer.
Open for the first time in over 30 years, Santa’s Candy Castle has been drawing visitors any time of year. Visitors can take a free tour of the historic castle, write a letter to Santa Claus, follow Old Saint Nick’s activities at the North Pole and enjoy shopping for candy and goodies.
“We’ve got the world’s largest selection of candy canes,” Klosowski said, listing such flavors as bubble gum, cotton candy, orange sherbet, blueberry, buttered popcorn and pina colada. The castle also sells fudge, fresh-baked gingerbread cookies, chocolates, ornaments, stocking stuffers, gift baskets and two dozen flavors of hot chocolate.
HISTORY OF THE CASTLE
The castle, which was once known to thousands of visitors as Santa’s home and workshop, closed in the 1950s after legal battles between the site’s developer, Milton Harris, and another entrepreneur. Originally part of Santa Claus Town, Santa’s Candy Castle was sponsored by the candy company that created Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars.
“It’s the town’s first tourist attraction and the first themed attraction in the United States,” Klosowski said. “I’m very proud that we have restored it as historically accurate as we could.”
Designed by artist Emil Straus to look as though it sprang to life from the pages of a fairytale, the red-brick building has all the features of a castle including a crenellated tower, a turret and a rotunda. Santa Claus Town was the vision of Harris after he saw the potential for the southwestern Indiana town with its Christmasy name.
“After Santa Claus was featured in ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not,’ people wanted to visit here,” Klosowski said. The tiny town with a population of less than 100 was inundated with tourists.
FAMED TOURIST ATTRACTION
Santa Claus Town was officially launched on Dec. 22, 1935. The Toy Village was added in 1936. The village featured over a half dozen miniature fairy tale buildings, each sponsored by a prominent national toy manufacturer of the day. In the village, children could play with popular toys including Lionel trains, Buddy L. trucks, Daisy air rifles and Strombecker’s Playthings.
Santa’s Workshop was also added in 1936. The eye-catching building had turrets on either end and housed an actual woodshop where Santa Claus could be seen making wooden toys by hand. The building also displayed popular toys of the time from leading national toy manufacturers. However, the toys were not for sale at Santa Claus Town. Instead, they were sold through a special mail order service so that they arrived with the town’s famous postal mark and an official Santa Claus Seal of Approval.
The once-magical land drew thousands during its heyday in the 1930s but ultimately closed after many legal battles with a rival entrepreneur and the hard times of World War II. Since then, the castle has been home to a church, apartment and private home.
“Now it’s back to being what it was built to be,” Klosowski said. “People loved this castle and we’re so glad to have it open again … You’re never too old to love and enjoy the spirit of Christmas.”
For more information: Contact Santa Candy Castle at (812) 544-3900, www.santascandycastle, or the Spencer County Visitors Bureau at (888) 444-9252, wwwlegendaryplaces.org.
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