Santa's Village

Up in Scott's Valley just off Highway 17, hidden in the local pine and redwood trees 

was Santa's Village.  The park had its own freeway exit off Highway 17, 

and as of 2016, the freeway exit signs still read "Santa's Village Road".

(Get a load of those cars!!)

In 1956 the Lawridge Dairy dairy farm leased it's land 

to a developer who built "Santa's Village".

It opened in May, 1957.  The main rides were a bobsled, 

a spinning Christmas tree and Santa's Express train.

There was also a petting zoo, a huge Jack-in-the-Box 

and equally large Santa's boot, and an Alice in Wonderland hall of mirrors.  

The park closed it's doors in 1979.

(That's me on the left, Jerry and Jimmy Lee on the right)

The one vivid memory I have of Santa's Village was deep in the park 

there was a pole covered in frosty "snow" .... You had to climb up an 

incline to get up there and actually touch it!  We'd scrape our fingernails 

on the pole to gather up some of the frosty goodness to try to make 

a snowball to throw at someone!

1962