On Friday, December 10, 1948, an intriguing invitation to local children appeared in the Bozeman Courier newspaper. Underneath a photo of the popular bearded and bespeckled holiday celebrity was printed the following message: “Meet me at 2 o’clock Saturday, December 18, opposite the Post Office; when I arrive in my helicopter...Yours truly, Santa Claus, North Pole.”



By the time this invitation was published in early December, most families were likely already aware of Santa’s upcoming visit. The November 26 edition of the Courier announced that in consideration of new technological advancements, Santa’s visit to Bozeman youngsters that year would take a different form. “Old St. Nick will be abreast, if not in front of the times when he appears in Bozeman Dec. 18, accompanied by the music of whirling propellers in addition to his time-honored sleigh bells.”

On December 10, the Bozeman Courier noted the historical significance of the festivities to come. “This is the first helicopter that has ever been around here. It is a very expensive machine, costing $40,000.” The article went on to report that the helicopter was one of two such aircraft owned by Johnson Flying Company of Missoula, who used them for “spraying crops, observation, etc.” The newspaper informed interested readers that the helicopter was made by the Bell Aircraft Corporation. Bell Aircraft, headquartered in New York state, began building helicopters in the early 1940s, so the aircraft were still relatively new in 1948. Whether or not it was indeed the first helicopter in Bozeman is uncertain, but it undoubtedly would have been an impressive sight for Bozeman residents.

Event organizers coordinated with Santa and his pilot to pick a landing location near the heart of downtown. They chose a parking lot on the southeast corner of E. Babcock Street and S. Tracy Avenue, directly across Babcock from the former Post Office (32 S. Tracy). In 1948, this open corner was perfect for accommodating helicopters, visiting dignitaries, and large crowds. In 1965, the Federal Building was constructed at this location, but in the late 1940s, the city block was home to private residences and a parking area for downtown shoppers.

In conjunction with Santa’s visit, several popular Main Street stores installed mailboxes to collect children’s letters and wish lists addressed to the North Pole. The Courier promised that “Santa will get these letters when he comes here in the helicopter.” Participating businesses included J.C. Penney’s, Gamble Stores, Oliver-Stout Hardware, Montgomery Ward, Chambers-Fisher Co. department store, Coast-to-Coast hardware, McCay hardware, Owenhouse, Phillips Book Store, and the Baxter Hotel—most of which were prime holiday shopping destinations.

Several businesses, like SRE Appliances, mentioned Santa’s upcoming visit in their holiday newspaper advertising. In an ad published on December 17, SRE printed the words “Santa and His Helicopter Will Be Right in Front of Our Store Saturday,” directly above an image of a $69.95 Motorola Radio-Phonograph. SRE Appliances (or Sullivan Radio-Electric) occupied a storefront at 23 S. Tracy in a small brick building next to the alley, just south of Main Street. A ghost sign for this business still graces the alley side of the structure today.

J.C. Penney Co., located at 9 E. Main Street and just east of Tracy Ave., advertised “It’s a date with Santa and his helicopter tomorrow at 2 p.m. on Tracy across from the Post Office.” Even the real estate and insurance office H.C. Skarie Co. capitalized on the holiday event, announcing in their ad, “Visit Santa and His Helicopter Saturday Then See Us On These Listings.”

For this unique occasion, Santa and his elves relied heavily on assistance from Bozeman’s Junior Chamber of Commerce. The Jaycees supplied music, distributed candy, and provided crowd control. Shortly after the helicopter visit was announced, a rumor began circulating that the real St. Nick would not be present and instead, a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce was going to masquerade as Santa.

Oliver-Stout’s Hardware store denied that claim in their weekly store news section published in the Courier. The store’s cleverly-designed ads resembled miniature newspapers and described events at the shop, notified readers (young and old) of sale items, and provided entertaining commentary. The November 26, 1948 issue of “Oliver-Stout’s Hardware News” sought “To reassure our little friends and at the same time discredit certain stories circulated by certain hard-boiled cynics that George Sime will impersonate the old gray whiskered genial gentleman...”

The accused Santa impersonator, George Sime, was a well-respected Bozeman businessperson and community member in 1948. Sime grew up on a ranch outside of Bozeman and received an animal husbandry degree from Montana State College. George Sime and his father Colben operated a large sheep ranch near Clarkston for several years. After Colben Sime passed away in 1948, George switched careers from rancher to insurance broker. Until his move to Helena in the late 1950s, Sime was extremely active in local organizations, including the Montana Winter Fair, the Bozeman Roundup, Boy Scouts, Gallatin Lodge No. 6, and as president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Whether the rumors regarding Sime and Santa were true or not is unclear.

Though it must have seemed an eternity to Bozeman children, December 18 finally arrived. Photographic evidence and newspaper accounts suggest Santa’s landing and subsequent festivities were a great success. In their Christmas Eve issue, the weekly Courier provided a summary of Santa’s arrival by helicopter. According to the report, 2,500 people crowded around the parking lot at Babcock and Tracy that afternoon and eager children gazed heavenward until Santa touched down at two o’clock. The article creatively described the events: “The Christmas ‘copter made several passes over the lot before it whirled to earth, discharging its cargo of jolly gentleman. The heads that had scanned the sky were withdrawn into coats to avoid the shower of powdered snow that the spinning rotor of Santa’s helicopter had thrown into the air, but as soon as the artificial snowstorm had subsided, came out again to inspect the red-clad sprite.”

A photograph published in the Courier on Christmas Eve showed the chopper hovering feet above the snowy ground as the blades picked up a “Crystal Cloud” over the onlookers. Members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, including local businesspeople Louis Spain, Frank Preston, Lloyd Thomas, and Arthur Stuart lived up to their roles as substitute elves and helped Santa distribute candy to the children. Once his pre-Christmas work in Bozeman was completed, Santa reboarded his futuristic sleigh and took off for Belgrade, where he touched down again to greet more children at three o’clock.

For anyone needing additional, more personal interactions with Santa, festivities continued the next day at Bozeman Hot Springs. A chiropractor and his family, Dr. Norman and Elaine Otheim, hosted a children’s party at the resort which provided a Christmas tree, games, more candy, and a second appearance of the season’s beloved celebrity. As the Courier previewed on December 17, “seems as if the kindly Old Saint Nick who is scheduled for an appearance in Bozeman with his helicopter Saturday has decided to ‘stay over’ and visit his little friends in person.”

The local festivities were surely memorable that year, when Santa’s arrival was announced by engine noise instead of sleighbells. Best wishes for a happy holiday season. May this year’s celebrations and experiences be just as unique and special as those in 1948.