Close
MyNorthwest
News
Opinion
Sports
Tools
Connect

FELIKS BANEL -- NORTHWEST HISTORIAN HEARD ON SEATTLE'S MORNING NEWS

MyNorthwest History

David Harris was Santa Claus from 1942 to 1968 at Frederick & Nelson, where Santa photos were invented in 1944. (Courtesy Museum of History & Industry) Art French was a Seattle Post-Intelligencer photographer when he invented department store Santa photos in 1944. (Courtesy Museum of History and Industry) The old Santa "set" from Frederick & Nelson is still used each year at Lake Forest Park Shopping Center by Santa photo company Arthur & Associates. (Courtesy Arthur & Associates) Santa Phil is the last living Frederick & Nelson Santa Claus and is now retired, but the old Frederick's 'Santa throne' is at Lake Forest Park Shopping Center for the 2022 holiday season. (Courtesy Arthur & Associates) During the first COVID pandemic Christmas of 2020, Arthur & Associates' Santa photos included masks for everyone, and a plexiglass shield between Santa and visitors. (Courtesy Arthur & Associates)
Seattle’s department store Santa Claus