The Clay Center Municipal Airport will host Santa on Friday, Nov. 28th at 11 am
Santa’s past has been gathered from documents and pictures from the Clay County Museum and interviews with residents.
For more than 80 years, Santa Claus has ties to Clay County, from visiting with local children to hosting them in his Courthouse digs to establishing the longstanding tradition of flying in from the North Pole.
The earliest he can be traced to the area is with Milo Hahn, who served the town for 45 years, according to his obituary. Hahn died in 1990 and likely began his infamous tenure around 1940.
In his first year, Hahn arrived downtown via firetruck, as was told in a 1985 meeting of the Clay County Historical Society. He was simply asked to appear but took it upon himself to interact with the kids and remain friendly.
Hahn was asked if the children were scared of him and he responded, “Yes just about as scared as I was,” as noted in the report.
Married to Margaret Pfizenmaier, a daughter of the name’s patriarch, Gottlieb, Hahn was related to many local children.
He reported that one year his grandchild mentioned he and Santa had the same boots. His niece, Linda Riggle, said Santa always asked specific questions about her family, which was how she knew it was really Santa.
“Who else would know our names and that stuff about my family?” Riggle, now a great-grandmother herself, said it remains a topic of family reunions.
During Hahn’s tenure, Santa visited schools, clubs, and private parties. In the early 60s he was asked to visit triplet brothers by their father, Roy Taylor. When Santa walked through the door the trio of toddlers screamed and ran to hide in the bathroom.
Hahn most likely retired in the late 80s, when the role was taken by Lawrence Cameron, who served until 1992.
“He loved it,” said daughter Vickie Wynn. “He was a big man and had this big barrel chest so it was perfect. He was so funny because he would be so gruff with us at home but then Santa had this little baby talk for the kids. He loved it so much, it was an enjoyable thing.”
Santa Flies In to the Clay Center Airport
As early as 1964, Santa began arriving via airplane at the Clay Center Airport. He was flown in by the late Duane “Doc” Kolterman for many years, before Mike Spicer took over in the mid-70s and continued until 2012. At that point Bob Caley began as Santa’s pilot until Darian Callaway took over; he continues the tradition today. Callaway said it was a tradition he looked forward to since he began taking flying lessons.
“It’s kind of neat that it came full circle like that,” he said. When Santa was slated to arrive, the Callaway kids went with their grandparents and met up with him at the airport.
“It’s fun but I think landing with Santa makes me more nervous than when I did my FAA test; If you crashed with Santa, there’s 200 kids there looking and they would never forget your name,” he said. “It’s a great tradition and I’m glad I can help do it.”
Santa’s House on the Courthouse Square
Soon after Santa made it to Clay Center, a Christmas Committee decided Santa needed a house, which first consisted of a large cardboard carton from Jim Sterling’s Jewelry Store. (In operation prior to 1942.)
Next, George Fullington added a roof and step-in front; there was an open slot in the back for Santa to reach through and grab candy. Someone added a crescent moon above the doorway. Fullington then built a wooden house that was completed prior to 1970.
The house was described as sheets of plywood, one window, and a single chair. It also made for a cold visit, said Sherry Coberly, local volunteer and Mom to three young children in the early 90s.
“I remember thinking it didn’t make for a good memory for the kids,” she said. “About that time Home Alone had come out and there was a scene with the cute little Santa house and I kind of ran with it from there.”
Coberly began researching what would be needed to make a Santa house – a real house – and got to work. First, she consulted with her husband, Rollin, and brother-in-law, Jonathan, who noted the house would need to be portable. From there she began collecting donations from local businesses, who provided lumber, building supplies, finishing features, and furniture. The trailer on which the house would be stored was also donated.
The Coberly brothers then built the house in Jonathan’s back yard, which was outfitted with carpet, a fireplace to keep kids – and Santa – warm. They also added a ramp rather than stairs so anyone in a wheelchair could enter.
“It was just one of those things – all the kids were little and I wanted them to have a good memory for kids going to see Santa.”
