Detour Pit Stop #67: Santa Claus, Arizona, USA
Photo Todd Huffman / Flickr
A deep blanket of snow, the smell of pine trees and a bustling workshop full of elves. These are just a few of the things you won’t find in the long-abandoned desert town of Santa Claus, Arizona.
Santa Claus was the brainchild of larger-than-life California real estate agent Nina Talbot who bought an 80-acre plot 14 miles north of Kingman in 1937 to turn it into a year-round Christmas land.
First she built a workshop, then a Cinderella’s Doll House that was loosely based on the look of a Swiss chalet. The Kit Carson guest house was renamed the Santa Claus Inn and served such delights as chicken à la North Pole and rum pie. As word spread Santa Claus became a popular tourist spot.
In the 1950s the now-named Christmas Tree Inn had built a reputation as one of the best eateries on Route 66 and even attracted a celebrity clientele including Jane Russell.
In 1961 the town’s owners had the bright idea to offer a remailing service where Christmas cards and letters could be postmarked Santa Claus for the price of just 25 cents plus the postage fee.
It wasn’t enough to save the town and Santa Claus closed during the mid-1970s and has been gradually reclaimed by the desert ever since.