Article Archives: Bumps in the Night

Santa Claus Indiana’s Pat Koch: The Elf Coordinator, Part 4

May 12, 2022 | by Al Hunter

Holiday World and Santa Claus Indiana’s own Pat Koch has a secret. Not only is she one of the founders of the amusement park town, but she is also the only one of Santa’s elves that met President John F. Kennedy. In 1962, Bill and Pat Koch were at the … Read More

Santa Claus Indiana’s Pat Koch: The Elf Coordinator, Part 3

May 5, 2022 | by Al Hunter

Just steps from Pat Koch’s Santa Claus museum is the town’s first post office (built in 1856) and mere yards from that, the town’s first Catholic Church (1880 building: 1853 incorporation date), both saved and preserved through Pat’s efforts. All three buildings stand nearby the original 1935 Santa Claus statue, … Read More

Santa Claus Indiana’s Pat Koch: The Elf Coordinator, Part 2

April 28, 2022 | by Al Hunter

At 90 1/2 years old (her own calculation) Pat Koch (pronounced “Cook”) is still a dreamer. As the longtime television face of Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, Pat’s smiling face is familiar to generations of Hoosiers. “Free Sunscreen. Free Soda. Free Parking” is a slogan that still resonates in … Read More

Santa Claus Indiana’s Pat Koch: The Elf Coordinator, Part 1

April 21, 2022 | by Al Hunter

Every Hoosier knows about Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Southern Indiana. Free drinks. Free Sunscreen. Free Parking. During its 78-year history, the amusement park has received just about every national award possible: Friendliest Park, #1 Outdoor Waterpark, Best Overall Waterpark Ride, #1 Wooden Roller Coaster on the Planet: (“The … Read More

The Gus Grissom Memorial at Spring Mill State Park, Part 2

April 14, 2022 | by Al Hunter

The Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom Museum at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, Indiana honors its most famous son and one of America’s greatest space heroes. The museum was dedicated in July 1971, ten years after Gus’s first flight, and four years after his death. The exhibits cover every phase … Read More