I can’t tell you much about this shot. From the insert, it looks to have been in the late 50s, which of course is no big surprise. Apparently there was room aboard for some 65 children, but just what their expectations were, I don’t know. I see it still has sled runners, presumably for landing on the North Pole.
It has an Oscar Meyer Wienermobile vibe to it… Reindeer sausage?
Fun lunchtime read!
Reindeer sausage sounds good right about now. 😉
Santa’s Rocket Ship still exists, and is evidently roadworthy.
It’s currently an attraction at Mukluk Land (https://muklukland.com/), a tourist attraction along the Alaska Highway. The picture below is from a 2019 Christmas parade in Alaska:
Wow, great sleuthing Eric! It looks kind of like Santa’s Rocket Ship is based on something like a DUK, but it seems to only have one axle in the back (I think DUKs have 2). Wacky!
I can’t figure out what it was based on. But apparently there were at one time 5 rocket ships (though I think they were all different, and some looked more like sleighs) – each was billed as having a seating capacity of “100 children,” which seems like quite a squeeze just looking at it.
The company that operated them (Santa Claus Rocket Corporation) was a partnership between a Tyler, Texas businessman maned Lloyd Laster and an Oklahoma circus owner named Jack Moore. They operated these vehicles from the late 1950s through the mid-’70s when Moore passed away. Each Christmas season, they would visit downtowns, shopping centers and the like, presumably offering rides for children. The vehicles were manned by circus workers, who would otherwise find work sparse in the wintertime.
The vehicles were sold in 1976 to another circus owner, from Wisconsin – it’s unclear how long they operated there.
OK, I see, I’ve found a few more articles about these things. “Built from commercial bus chassis”. I’m guessing some of the bus dudes here on CC can figure that out. Some of those pictures on Mukluk Land make me think of:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/bus-stop-classic/flxible-clipper-the-motor-coach-style-leader-of-the-1950s/
As to Mukluk Land, I’ve seen writing describing it as a “junkyard made over as a theme park”. Well, dang, that’s good enough for me! All I have to do now is get to Alaska.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mukluk-land
Back in late 60s and early 70s we used to go to the local Sears store and my parents let us ride a bus just like this one. Santa walked around during the ride and talked to each child and handed out candy canes. I have this same color photo. We lived in Louisiana at the time.
The lead in picture makes the vehicle look like it’s capable of warp drive.
The ‘rocket engines’ look more like the warp engine nacelles from the original Enterprise.
Since these busses are from the fifties, that would predate Star Trek.
Hmmm? I wonder if this was where Gene Roddenberry got the idea? 😉
I love it ! .
Saturday last I was in Hawthorne, Ca, and a later model Oscar Myer wiener mobile drove past……
I’m a sucker for any and all of these old tacky things .
-Nate