For much of the early twentieth century, downtowns across Indiana boasted their own iconic department stores. Anderson had the Fair Store, Indianapolis had L.S. Ayres, Muncie shopped at Ball Stores, South Bend turned to Robertson’s, and Terre Haute claimed Root. All those establishments eagerly embraced the Christmas season, but Fort Wayne’s Wolf & Dessauer stood apart by turning holiday decorating into an art form. In doing so, it created a beloved landmark and a tradition that has long outlived the store itself.
Wolf & Dessauer was founded by Sam Wolf & Myron Dessauer in 1896. Initially a simple storefront selling dry goods at 808 South Calhoun Street, the pair moved to 119 West Berry in 1904. Fourteen years later, they relocated to the northeast corner of Calhoun Street and Washington Boulevard. That’s where things got big! In 1920, Wolf & Dessauer sold out to their general manager, G. Irving Latz1.
On Thanksgiving, 1927, Wolf & Dessauer started a new holiday tradition by unveiling its first animated window display. With scenes like Santa feeding his reindeer, elves skipping rope, and even ice-skating raccoons2, the beloved exhibits were redesigned every year to keep pace with customers’ changing tastes3. The windows drew visitors from as far away as fifty miles4, but that wasn’t enough: in 19405, the store unveiled two colossal holiday displays.
Calling Santa and His Reindeer and the Merry Christmas Wreath colossal hardly does them justice. Together, they featured more than 40,000 lights6! Santa and His Reindeer alone stretched over 150 feet, weighed five and a half tons, and glowed with 24,717 bulbs7! As time passed, the over-the-top displays became beloved symbols of the season. For many in town, the holidays didn’t officially begin until their lights were switched on.
The iconic displays were the vision of Wolf & Dessauer’s Latz and Frank Dunigan of Brinkman Corporation. Isabel Parker of Brinkman designed them8. Work to actually put the pieces together began on October 7, 1940, and they rapidly came to life- from start to finish, the process took forty-four days! Despite a brief absence during World War II, the displays returned to brighten the holiday season every year until 19589.
Even as their holiday magic continued to captivate Fort Wayne, change was on the horizon for Wolf & Dessauer as the fifties rolled in. The store had expanded into several neighboring buildings downtown, but ownership decided to construct a brand-new flagship location just a block northeast in 195910. Why not move to the booming suburbs instead? My friend J.P. Cavanaugh might have the answer. Build downtown they did, however, and things seemed bright until one of the worst fires in Fort Wayne’s history11 destroyed three of the firm’s older structures in 1962.
One of the burned buildings was the store that fronted Calhoun and Washington- the home of Santa and His Reindeer and the Merry Christmas Wreath. The displays had gone into storage and were unscathed, but they languished. After Wolf & Dessauer was lapped up by L.S. Ayres, its displays were forgotten for more than twenty years. Fortunately, the pieces were rediscovered by a GTE telephone installer named Jim Green in 197912.
Santa and his reindeer were in rough shape when they were rediscovered. Bulbs were missing and shattered, steel framing had been eaten away, and the wiring was a basket case! Fortunately, Green and Pete Cruze drummed up support for restoring the holiday icons.
With backing from the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, the city’s IBEW Local 305, and a wave of nostalgic citizens and organizations, the community came together to bring the displays back to life13. Fort Wayne banded together to prove that the magic of the season could still shine bright.
The first of Santa’s reindeer was lit on Thanksgiving 1979. A second was finished just before Christmas. By the following year, the entire Santa and His Reindeer had been restored and affixed to the side of the Fort Wayne National Bank building, now known as PNC Center14. In 1987, the refurbished Merry Christmas Wreath was mounted to One Summit Square, Fort Wayne’s tallest skyscraper15. Santa and His Reindeer and the Merry Christmas Wreath have returned as Fort Wayne holiday staples ever since!
Today, turning on the displays takes center stage during Fort Wayne’s Night of Lights celebration. As a kid, some of my most cherished memories are tied to visiting those magical decorations during the holidays! Grandpa Hayes, Grandma Marlene, and Aunt Connie loved taking us downtown to see the iconic Wolf & Dessauer displays glowing in their new locations.
Things have changed for me since those days. Still, those holiday trips, with hot chocolate in hand and the warmth of family by my side, left a lasting impression. The one-of-a-kind Santa and His Reindeer and the Merry Christmas Wreath were a big part of my early Christmas experiences, and even now, I feel a pang of nostalgia every time I see them lit up again. Today, I hope they bring you the same holiday cheer they’ve brought me since I was a kid. Perhaps they’ll help beckon you toward a merry and magical Christmas.
Sources Cited
1 Harter, R. (2016, September 15). Wolf & Dessauer Building C. 1964). The Fort Wayne Reader. Web. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
2 Barron, J., & Barron, K. (2011). Wolf and Dessauer: Where Fort Wayne Shopped. The History Press [Cheltenham]. Book.
3 C., J. (2024, November 17). Night of Lights: A Fort Wayne Holiday Tradition. Visit Fort Wayne [Fort Wayne]. Web. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
4 (See footnote 2).
5 Fester, J. (2017, November 18). The saga of the Santa. Fort Wayne Reader [Fort Wayne]. Web. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
6 (See footnote 3).
7 (See footnote 5).
8 McMaken, C. (2023, November 20). Nov. 20, 1940: Santa and His Reindeer display lit for first time in downtown Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. Web. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
9 (See footnote 5).
10 The Fire that Nearly Destroyed Fort Wayne’s Wolf and Dessauer (n.d.). Yesterday’s America. Web. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
11 Photos: Wolf & Dessauer fire, 60 years ago (2022, February 10). WANE TV [Fort Wayne]. Web. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
12 (See footnote 5).
13 (See footnote 5).
14 (See footnote 5).
15 (See footnote 8).
I remember how excited my mother was when those old decorations she had loved from her childhood were refurbished and put back on display.
I will confess to a little disappointment a few years ago when I saw these after what appeared to be a conversation to LED bulbs. To me, it just doesn’t look right without the innumerable incandescent bulbs. But better LEDs than nothing at all.
This also reminds me of the displays W&D used to put on, called the “magic windows”. They were impressive holiday displays of anamatronics that changed every year, and I remember it as a must-see destination each year to slowly follow the crowd along the sidewalk, amazed at each new window display.
I’d read they had been converted to something more energy efficient but hadn’t been back to see them since. I can see how that’d be disappointing. As for the “magic windows,” there’s a Facebook page run by someone who salvaged and repaired some of the old animatronics. It’s been cool to see, even if just on the computer.
Thanks for this! These types of decorations sure are more magical to me than all the laser lights displays that many folks are using today.
Oh to go back in time to see those creative and enthusiastic window displays of the twenties and thirties!
There’s a Facebook group, Wolf and Dessauer Magic Window, that shows some of the restored animatronic characters! I too would love to see them in full swing.
Oh, to be a time traveler!