Santa's Workshop (New York amusement park)
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 Santa's Workshop, North Pole, New York | |
 Interactive map of Santa's Workshop | |
| Location | Wilmington, New York, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 44°24′00″N 73°51′02″W / 44.40000°N 73.85056°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opened | 1949 |
Santa's Workshop in North Pole, a hamlet in Wilmington, New York, is an amusement park that has been in operation since 1949. It was one of the first theme parks in the United States.[1] It is open from June to December.[2]
The idea for the village originated in a story that Lake Placid businessman Julian Reiss told his daughter about a baby bear who visits Santa Claus at the North Pole.[3] The design of the park was done by artist Arto Monaco, of Upper Jay, and built by Harold Fortune, of Lake Placid, who also owned the site, and helped promote the park. The park drew immediate media interest, with more than 14,000 visitors on one day in September 1951.[1]
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 season to go on hiatus.
In March 2026 the owner of the property as well as Sylvan Beach Amusement park and other properties in Oswego, New York Douglas Waterbury was arrested by New York State Police on charges of bribing a witness, attempted rape, and patronizing a person for prostitution after he allegedly agreed to show the woman a home for rent, but instead drove her to a deserted commercial building where he exposed himself and asked for oral sex. After being declined he tried to offer money for the act, and then to prevent him being charged. He has previous sexual harassment claims in lawsuits.[4]
