Letter to the Editor

Santa Claus Lane originated with 1948 idea

Thursday, February 25, 2010
Ivan Schmid and Norma Strunk with replacement Santa in 1970s. (Courtesy photo)

EDITOR'S NOTE -- Ivan Schmid submitted the following account, written in the 1970s, of the origins of Santa Claus Lane in McCook:

In 1948 Ed Petersen Jr., a local businessman, dropped in next door to visit with his business neighbor, W. K. Swanson, a sign maker. Swanson was putting the finishing touches on a tourist cabin sign.

Petersen saw the sun shining through the window on the sign, bringing it to life with color. He said to his friend, Swanie, "Why couldn't that material be used to make some Christmas decorations?"

As a member of the McCook Chamber of Commerce Christmas Decorations Committee, Ed was always looking to find ways to decorate the city.

That night, W. K. Swanson couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about what his friend Petersen had suggested. So he rolled out of bed and began to sketch. That night he completed sketching an eight-foot Santa Claus. Early the next morning Swanson rushed into Petersen's laundry office with his grand sketch.

Ed was excited but he knew that he would have a hard time selling that markedup sketch to a hardboiled committee. He told Swanie that he could not sell the committee from that sketch.

Swanson wrinkled his brow, began to do some figuring on a piece of paper and came up with the offer to invest enough of his money and time in this big Santa to demonstrate possibilities for holiday lighting. When that big Santa was finished, put up and a car light directed on it, that committee went wild with enthusiasm.

The McCook chamber ordered 10 signs of Christmas motif. And to satisfy his own creative feeling about the project, W. K. Swanson donated several Christmas posters (which were moored against wind and snow with 100-pound sand bags).

Thousands of children and adults have driven along McCook's Santa Claus Lane to thrill at the colorful reflections set aglow by car lights. As one traveling man said, "I always fix my schedule so I can get to McCook to see Santa Claus Lane."

His impulse is characteristic of visitors who come to McCook during the holiday season to see this color symphony which is theirs at nighttime when the lighted autos cruise slowly up and down Norris Avenue.

"McCook's Original Santa Claus Lane" display drew visitors from a wide area to see the first holiday lane to be illuminated, not by electricity, but by a luminous cloth. The cloth is of various colors, and glows with jewellike intensity when touched by automobile headlights. In fact, it's the same luminous material long used on road markers and advertising posters.

The idea seemed to appeal to many people. W. K. Swanson had letters of inquiry about the lane from South America, Cuba and other faraway places.

In 1966, the original Santa Claus Lane was stored for 10 years in the, firehouse building at the Army Air Base.

The new Santa Claus Lane made a second debut on Nov. 28, 1976.

Included in the lane displays are many entirely rebuilt or repainted figurines, several original displays and some new ideas, such as the glowing blue and gold figurine of Baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary, designed by the late Norma Strunk.

The Lane Committee began working on the displays in June, renovating crumbling figures for the holiday season. Many volunteers helped with the rebuilding according to Ivan Schmid, chairman. Mainstays were Mrs. Strunk, Ken Kucker, Lamoine Motter and Gary Winter.

Today, and for years to come persons of McCook and the surrounding area will be in the spirit of Christmas by this unique display which brought joy to a generation and fame to our community.

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