HISTORY JOURNAL ▸ On this day in 1940, Mayor Harry Baals turned on the Santa and His Reindeer light display for the first time at Wolf & Dessauer in downtown Fort Wayne. It only had three pairs of reindeer at the time; a fourth pair was added later.
PBS FORT WAYNE SPECIALS Fort Wayne Home for the Holidays 56 minute video. PBS caption: Take a look at the 1994 local documentary, Fort Wayne Home for the Holidays, featuring segments on Christmas at the Wolf & Dessauer department store, Fort Wayne Santa Claus Phil Steigerwald, the restoration of two Fort Wayne light displays, and more. Aired: 12/01/94 Rating: TV-G. "Once upon a time Christmas meant snow for sledding, a trip downtown to visit WanDerland at Wolf & Dessauer's and dreaming of a bicycle from 'Uncle Win' Koehlinger's store. WFWA-TV39 captures the magic of [Fort Wayne's] hometown holidays--past and present--in this very special program hosted by one of Fort Wayne's most memorable 'Santas, ' Phil Steigerwald."DVD at the
Allen County Public Library. WFWA PBS39 Fort Wayne.
If you were a child in Fort Wayne before 1970, chances are some of your fondest memories involve the splendor and magic that was the Wolf and Dessauer holiday experience. So powerful were those memories that today the nostalgia of that department store from the months of November and December of yesteryears is powerfully and indelibly impressed on the fabric of our shared memory. Visit this year’s Festival of Gingerbread, November 23rd through December 9th, to see many animatronic elves and children from W&D’s beloved holiday storefronts, which were lovingly restored in 2010. The History Center will briefly pause its popular Socially History series as we dedicate the next several weeks to our Festival of Gingerbread, which we encourage our digital patrons to visit, but until we resume the series in December we hope you enjoy these glimpses of the ever-cherished W&D. #sociallyhistory
Visiting Santa Claus has been an ageless tradition for many residents of Fort Wayne. For local children in the 1950s through the 1970s, there was only one Santa worth visiting, and that was Phil Steigerwald. He began his professional “Santa” career in the early 1950s at the former Sears & Roebuck store on Rudisill Boulevard. By the mid-1950s, he had become the official Santa Claus at Wolf and Dessauer, W&D, the largest and most well-known department store in the area. The owners of W&D did Christmas big every year! Steigerwald’s performance as Santa Claus became very popular and as many as ten thousand children a week would visit him during the holiday season. Although Wolf and Dessauer was sold to L.S. Ayres in 1969, he served as Santa in the new store for several years. After leaving L.S. Ayres, Steigerwald continued to portray Santa at various functions, including the annual downtown lighting ceremony until 1985. Due to ill health, Steigerwald retired from his beloved Santa role in 1996. Today we share images of Fort Wayne’s favorite Santa, Phil Steigerwald; his full costume and other materials are on display at the museum through the end of the season. Happy Holidays from all of us at The History Center! #sociallyhistory
If you were a child in Fort Wayne before 1960, chances are some of your fondest memories involve the splendor and magic of the Wolf and Dessauer Santa & Reindeer holiday display. This iconic display first graced downtown Fort Wayne in 1940 and remained a holiday staple until 1958. After the 1958 holiday season, the display was placed in storage and disappeared until it was rediscovered in a warehouse in 1978. Since 1981, the W&D Santa & Reindeer have flown on the north wall of the PNC Bank building to the delight of the citizens of Allen County. So powerful were those memories that today the nostalgia of that department store from the months of November and December of yesteryears is powerfully and indelibly impressed on the fabric of our shared memory.
Visit this year’s Festival of Gingerbread, November 29th through December 15th, to see many animatronic elves and children from W&D’s beloved holiday storefronts, which were lovingly restored in 2010. The History Center will briefly pause its popular Socially History series as we dedicate the next several weeks to our Festival of Gingerbread, which we encourage our digital patrons to visit, but until we resume the series in December we hope you enjoy these glimpses of the ever-cherished W&D. #sociallyhistory
If you were a child in Fort Wayne before 1970, chances are some of your fondest memories involve the splendor and magic that was the Wolf and Dessauer holiday experience. So powerful were those memories that today the nostalgia of that department store from the months of November and December of yesteryears is powerfully and forever impressed on the fabric of our shared memory. #sociallyhistory
Visit this year’s Festival of Gingerbread, November 27th through December 13th, to see many animatronic elves, children, which were lovingly restored in 2010, and a polar bear from W&D’s beloved holiday storefronts. The History Center will briefly pause its popular Socially History series as we dedicate the next several weeks to our Festival of Gingerbread, which we encourage our digital patrons to visit, but until we resume the series in December we hope you enjoy these glimpses of the ever-cherished W&D.
If you were a child in Fort Wayne before 1960, chances are some of your fondest memories involve the splendor and magic of the Wolf and Dessauer Wreath holiday display. This iconic display first graced downtown Fort Wayne in 1940 and remained a holiday staple until 1958. After the 1958 holiday season, the display was placed in storage and disappeared until it was rediscovered in a warehouse in 1978. Since 1981, the W&D Wreath have graced the side of the Summit Building (today the Indiana Michigan Power Building) to the delight of the citizens of Allen County. So powerful were those memories that today the nostalgia of that department store from the months of November and December of yesteryears is powerfully and indelibly impressed on the fabric of our shared memory. #sociallyhistory
Visit this year’s Festival of Gingerbread, November 26th through December 19th, to see many animatronic elves and children from W&D’s beloved holiday storefronts, which were lovingly restored in 2010. The History Center will briefly pause its popular Socially History series as we dedicate the next several weeks to our Festival of Gingerbread, which we encourage our digital patrons to visit, but until we resume the series in December, we hope you enjoy these glimpses of the ever-cherished W&D.
Christmas lights have played an important role in Fort Wayne’s history, from the manufacture of lights by A. C. Mannweiler and the Anthony Wayne Lamp Co., to the lit Wolf & Dessauer Santa and the Fantasy of Lights. Lighting is a relatively new addition to holiday décor. The trend of lit Christmas trees did not take hold until the 19th century. In 1856, President Franklin Pierce displayed the first Christmas tree at the White House, which was lit with candles. The first use of electric Christmas lights can be traced to 1882, when an associate of Edison, Edward H. Johnson, created a display on his Christmas tree. In 1895, the White House featured its first electrically lit tree, and by 1900 businesses began using string lights in shop windows. It was not until the 1930s that the average American was able to afford electric Christmas lights. Through the remainder of the 20th century, Christmas lights increased in popularity, and lighting displays appeared on houses, buildings, and in public places, becoming ever more elaborate and festive. Visit the History Center to see our new temporary exhibit “Christmas Lights.” #sociallyhistory
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was originally created as a promotion for Montgomery Ward. He first appeared in a 1939 book and later in this 8-minute 1948 film, which predates the stop motion version by 16 years. As far as we know, the Library has the only complete version of the original 1948 release.
Wolf & Dessauer Santa taken by Steve on November 26, 2006 on flickr - The W & D Santa display was first lighted on November 21, 1940. It appeared annually on the side of the Wolf & Dessauer Department Store until 1958. In 1979 the 155 foot long display made up of 24,717 bulbs was removed from storage, renovated and placed back in service for the 1980 Christmas season. When Christmas is mentioned in Fort Wayne, this is one of the first things that everyone remembers.
The Wolf & Dessauer Shopping Experience describes the Wee Willie Wand dolls shown below as: Pixie-like figure with painted face (head appears to be plaster); plastic hands; metal shoes; blond hair. Clothing consists of a green cap and jumper, red cape and spats and a sliver-color collar. Purchased by donor Mae Brenner about 1950 (about the time she was married) at Wolf & Dessauer Department Store and used for Christmas decoration in the 1950s. The "Wee Willie Wand" dolls were introduced by Wolf & Dessauer in 1949. Donor said that the elves who helped children go up to see Santa were dressed like the Wee Willie Wand Dolls. Copied fromVirtual Exhibits at
The History Center. Google images has many Wee Willie Wand photos.
Vintage Wee Willie Wand Ornament by spinster_with_cats taken on November 3, 2008 posted on flickr.
Vintage Wee Willie Wand Ornament This little elf is made of lime green and hot pink felt and stands about 4.5" high. Wee Willie Wand was Santa's helper at the Wolf & Dessauer department store in Fort Wayne, IN, and these ornaments were sold in the W&D Christmas shop in the 1950s. This little elf is made of lime green and hot pink felt and stands about 4.5" high. Wee Willie Wand was Santa's helper at the Wolf & Dessauer department store in Fort Wayne, IN, and these ornaments were sold in the W&D Christmas shop in the 1950s.
Wolf and Dessauer: Where Fort Wayne Shopped (Landmarks) Paperback – April 10, 2011 by Jim Barron and Kathie Barron. Jim and Kathie Barron are the authors of three other books on the subject of Fort Wayne history. Jim is a thirty-five-year radio broadcast veteran and is part of the award-winning morning team on WBCL radio in Fort Wayne.
Night of Lights highlights from the HolidayFest Night of Lights in downtown Fort Wayne by Young Indiana published November 23, 2011 on YouTube.
Old Wolf & Dessauer Santa Display taken by Matt Weldon on December 13, 2012 on flickr. Part of his Description states: This shot is taken of the old Wolf & Dessauer santa display on the PNC bank. The santa display was first displayed on the Wolf & Dessauer department store on November 21, 1940. It appeared annually on the store until 1958. The display was misplaced during a renovation of the store in 1958 and was rediscovered by electrical workers in 1979. It was renovated and put back on display for the 1980 Christmas season. Since 1980 It has been displayed on the PNC bank center annually. The santa display is 155 feet long and five and a half tons with 24,717 bulbs. The original bulbs have been replaced with more modern led lights.
A comment saying: General Electric featured this display in one of their Christmas Lighting Guides. includes a link to GE 1950's Christmas Lighting Ideas p15.
Christopher Crawford on flickr. Photo taken on December 17, 2016. Fort Wayne's Merry Christmas Wreath This giant Merry Christmas wreath made of thousands of colored lights hangs on the back of the Indiana-Michigan Power Center (formerly known as One Summit Square) in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. Originally built in the late 1930s to adorn the side of the Wolf and Dessauer Department Store in downtown Fort Wayne, it was lost after the store closed around 1970. There was also a smaller version of this wreath and a 150 foot long Santa Claus with his sleigh and reindeer. A decade later, all three of the Wolf and Dessauer Christmas displays were discovered hidden away in a warehouse. In bad condition, they needed hundreds of hours of work and thousands of dollars worth of parts to restore it to functioning condition. A group of local electricians, including my grandfather, John Westerfield, volunteered their time to rebuild the historic displays.After the restoration was complete in the early 1980s, they were put back on display during the Christmas season.The Indiana-Michigan Power Center, Fort Wayne's tallest building, occupies the block in downtown Fort Wayne bounded by Washington Boulevard, Calhoun Street, Clinton Street, and Wayne Street. The wreath hangs on the back of the building, facing north toward Wayne Street. The land behind the building is a public plaza, which was so icy when I was there photographing that I had to smash holes in the ice with a flashlight I had in my pocket just to keep the tripod from sliding! Copied from Fort Wayne's Merry Christmas Wreath on flickr and his website which has more information Christopher Crawford: Documentary Photography.
We’re just about ready for the Night of Lights! Come see us on the IMPC Plaza starting at 6 PM Wednesday. We’ll have goodies to give away and free hot chocolate to keep you warm until we light up the wreath, so stop by early!
Powering Up - December 2022 Indiana Michigan Power email: A Tradition with History Making the holidays bright is something we take quite literally with the lighting of a massive wreath on our headquarters in Fort Wayne. It’s a tradition with a history! Conceived by G. Irving Latz, Secretary & Treasurer of Wolf & Dessauer Department Store, the wreath was originally displayed from 1937 to 1958 (except during WWII) at the original Wolf & Dessauer location. When the store moved in February 1959, the wreath was put into storage and remained there for 28 years. In 1987, it was removed from storage and our employees played a significant role in its restoration. The tradition continues today! By the Numbers: • 32 ft. in diameter • Weighs nearly 3.5 tons • Uses 8,000 LED light bulbs - 4,000 red bulbs - 2,800 green bulbs - 1,200 white bulbs. Also posted December 12, 2022 with a similar photo as above by Indiana Michigan Power on Facbook. Photos of a December 1987 brochure discussing the wreath was shown and discussed January 2, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
As crews assemble the iconic light displays ahead of Downtown Fort Wayne's Night of Lights, our building takes no exception. Many recall the large wreath on the building during the holidays, but few may know the story
It's Postcard Friday! Yesterday for "Throwback Thursday" we shared Santa on the Wolf and Dessauer Building at the corner of Washington and Calhoun. This photo from the early 1940's, shows the W&D's store in the forefront, with Calhoun stretching to the left, you can see the People's Trust clock on the East side of Calhoun. For those of you wondering, this would be 1 Summit Square or AEP Building at the corner of Calhoun and Washington.
Do You Know..... was a ten part series of historical incidents in the life of Fort Wayne advertising by Wolf & Dessauer in the 1930s The Journal Gazette newspaper.
W & D's "DO YOU KNOW...." This is the 1"../../_images/Hofer Davis Land Surveyors/1937-wd-do-you-know.JPG"0 part series (missing No. 8) as found in the 1937 Fort Wayne Journal Gazette as sponsored by the iconic department store in downtown Fort Wayne, Wolf and Dessauer. It was garnered from the Fort Wayne Historian Bert J. Griswolds book "History of Fort Wayne" photo album at Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook.
November 16, 2022 post by Whatzup on Facebook states: Our latest edition is hitting vendors, with our cover story on the traditional Night of Lights presented by Downtown Fort Wayne. Read about what makes the Thanksgiving Eve event so special for families, while also getting a bit of a history lesson on the decorations and the contribution from a GTE repairman.Night of Lights is tradition for area of families What started as store decorations now much more by Anthony Gadson posted November 16, 2022 at WhatzUp.com.
Still feeling the magic from the Night of Lights last Wednesday in Downtown Fort Wayne!
: Photo by John McGauley
Visit the Santa & His Reindeer lights display this season and check in on the Fort Wayne Holiday Lights Challenge to earn prizes! Learn more: VisitFortWayne.com/HLC
We’ll have live music and free hot chocolate on the plaza, too 
#downtownfortwayne #happyholidays #christmaswreath
: Photo by John McGauley