Santa Claus is greeted by Westminster mayor in undated old picture

Santa Claus is greeted by Westminster Mayor Mathias and community leaders at Santa’s house on Locust Lane in downtown Westminster in this undated photo from either the late 1950s or very early 1960s. http://tinyurl.com/yb26gow

Click here for a larger image: http://twitpic.com/rfk1m - click “View full size” http://twitpic.com/rfk1m/full or go here here: http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/261828133/santa-claus-is-greeted-by-westminster-mayor

This is an undated photograph from the very early 1960s or 1950s, from old family papers. The photographer is unknown.

The gentlemen in the picture have been identified as best as possible. If someone believes that anyone has been misidentified, please be in touch. And of course, if any one knows the names of any the folks who are unidentified, that would be great.

Left to right in the front: 1 unidentified child; 2 immediately to Santa’s right, our left, is Andy Dietrich, the manager of Coffman Fisher; 3 Santa Claus was probably Kale Mathias; 4 Mayor Joseph L. Mathias is shaking hands with Santa Claus; 5 behind the handshake is Paul Wimert, the husband of Gladys Wimert and the manager of Mather’s.

In the back is 6, Harry Starr, standing behind Andy Dietrich. He was the manager of Gorsuch and Little. 7 is the gentleman who is pictured with glasses, but without a hat and he is unidentified. 8 the gentleman who is almost obscured by Santa Claus is, unfortunately also unidentified; and 9 is Atlee Wampler, representing the Retail Merchants Association.

Up through at least 1947, the city’s Christmas festivities took place at the forks at West Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue; which at the time was considered to be the center of the downtown business district.

Mayor Mathias died in office on December 3, 1963 after serving in office continuously since May 18, 1942. Santa’s House in this picture is located on Main Street in what was then-Locust Lane, beside 41 East Main Street.

A portion of this information came from an interview of Mr. David Babylon, Jr., by Kevin Dayhoff on January 20, 2002. Mr. Babylon served on the Westminster Common Council from Westminster City Council May 11, 1964 to May 19, 1989.

[sdosm 20091128: 19600000s early xmas santa locust la old w names] Annual Christmas Parade, Annual Christmas Westminster, History 1950s Westminster, History 1960s Westminster, Westminster File Locust Lane, Westminster Mayor 1942 1963 Mathias

http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2009/11/santa-claus-is-greeted-by-westminster.html http://tinyurl.com/yb26gow

http://twitpic.com/rfk1m

http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/261828133/santa-claus-is-greeted-by-westminster-mayor

*****

Westminster Maryland Online http://www.westminstermarylandonline.net/ http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/

My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/

Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ (http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/) http://www.kevindayhoffart.com/ New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/