THE
MINING
MUSEUM

ROLLO
JAMISON
MUSEUM





Museum Department - City of Platteville
405 E. Main Street, P. O. Box 780
Platteville, Wisconsin 53818-0780
Telephone (608) 348-3301
Email: museums@platteville.org
Here Comes Santa Claus! 2007
Over the years Santa Clause's image changed. This drawing was done by Thomas Nast and shows Santa as Americans on the late 19th century often pictured him. From the tiny elf, he has grown full size but he still wears a fur suit and has his pipe from the earlier years. However, other images at the same time often showed Santa wearing European robes in the tradition of St. Nicholas.
In the early days of Platteville's setttlement, during the 1830s, Christmas was a quiet, family time and New Year's was the larger, more celebrated event. At Christmas some small children received presents in their stockings from Santa Claus. For them, Santa Claus was the small elf described in Twas the Night Before Christmas.
During the 1860s more Americans began to celebrate Christmas with decorations, parties, and exchanged gifts. While the tree was not common in most American homes, the idea was spreading through magazines and books and at social events like school and church parties where the tree was an intersting novelty. Some immigrants from Germany decorated a tree as a link to their homeland.

Santa Claus, a little, secretive elf brought presents to good children, but for most families he delivered them in stockings. Illustrations showed Santa working at the North Pole and recoding children's behavior.

1880s parlor
When the weather cooperated, sleigh rides in cutters like this were very popular with young people. The darker fur is buffalo, the white robe is horse.

This store converted its wagon into a sled for winter deliveries.

By the 20th century, jolly Santa almost always wore a red suit while making his deliveries. Sometimes Santa delivered a tree along with presents.
1930s living room