RVA 100 | EXPLORING HIDDEN HISTORIES RVA 100: A jolly Richmond legend since 1936 From the RVA 100: 100 people, places, things that you should know about Richmond series Paul Whelan Oct 29, 2024 Oct 29, 2024 0 × RVA 100 Legendary Santa Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save kAm%9:D #'p :4@? :D =686?52CJ]k^AmkAmp }@G] g[ `hg`[ 25 :? E96 #:49>@?5 %:>6D\s:DA2E49 9JA65 9:D 2??F2= 2CC:G2=] “xE’D 2=>@DE E:>6 7@C $2?E2 2?5 D=6:89 36==D ]]] $2?E2 2CC:G6D 2E |:==6C U2>Aj #9@25D }@G] af]”k^Am kAm{686?52CJ $2?E2 DE2CE65 2AA62C:?8 2E |:==6C U2>Aj #9@25D H6== 367@C6 E96 `hg_D] ':D:ED E@ E96 3:8 C65 @?6 92G6 366? 2 #:49>@?5 EC25:E:@? 52E:?8 324< E@ `hbe]k^Am People are also reading… Work on Exit 39 truck stop expected to move more quickly now New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward Top Smyth DAR essay wins state competition Royal Oak DAR names 3 high school seniors as Good Citizens Chilhowie switches to biodegradable bags for yard waste Spanberger signs bills on probation, manufactured protein and Confederate license plates Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident Virginia football QB Chandler Morris denied preliminary injunction in pursuit of 7th year $1M goal for Smyth County HealthTrust scholarship fund is near Trump issues an expletive-filled threat against Iran as details of US aviator's rescue emerge Smyth supervisors say collective bargaining bills could cost county millions Along the Yellow Brick Road US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire as Trump seizes diplomatic offramp Virginia Tech softball's Bre Warren goes to court in pursuit of playing this season Former UVa football player accused of rape says complainant's own words ruin her case An ad for the Miller & Rhoads Santa appears in the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1981. Times-Dispatch archives Lois Kilpatrick’s daughter Jan, left, and her friend Antoinette Long, both 4, sit with Legendary Santa in 1957. KILPATRICK FAMILY PHOTO kAmx? 2 `hgf %:>6D\s:DA2E49 4@=F>?[ q2C32C2 vC66? 56D4C:365 2 s646>36C `hch A9@E@ @7 96CD6=7 H:E9 $2?E2i “%96C6 x 2>[ H:E9 2 =:EE=6 8:C=’D 3C2:5D 2?5 H@@==J H:?E6C 4@2E] %96C6 $2?E2 :D[ H:E9 9:D D9:?:?8 362C5 2?5 G6=G6E DF:E]”k^AmkAm%96 4@=F>? 8@6D @? E@ D2Ji “}@H[ J@F >FDE F?56CDE2?5 E92E E9:D $2?E2 :D E96 k6>mC62= $2?E2k^6>m] w6’D ?@E @?6 @7 E9@D6 A6@A=6 H9@ 5C6DD FA 2D $2?E2 E@ DE2?5 @? DEC66E 4@C?6CD @C G:D:E D9@AA:?8 >2==D] %96J 2C6 >6C6=J $2?E2’D 96=A6CD[ H9@ C6A@CE 324< E@ 9:>] x <?@H E92E E9:D :D E96 C62= $2?E2 :? >J A:4EFC6 3642FD6 >J >@> 2?5 525 E@=5 >6 D@ 2E E96 E:>6] w6’D E96 $2?E2 2E |:==6C U2>Aj #9@25D]”k^Am kAm%92E C62=?6DD 42>6 H:E9 2 AC:46 :E D66>D] p k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D2EFC52J6G6?:?8A@DE]4@>^a_`h^`a^E96\H@C=5D\9:896DE\A2:5\D2?E2\4=2FDQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm`hd` $2EFC52J tG6?:?8 !@DE 2CE:4=6k^2m 4=2:>65 E96 |:==6C U2>Aj #9@25D $2?E2 H2D E96 9:896DE A2:5 :? E96 H@C=5[ >2<:?8 S`[___ 2 H66< 7@C 7@FC H66<D]k^Am kAm|2?J H@F=5 D2J E9:D 23@FE E92E ;@==J H286i (@CE9] tG6CJ] !6??J]k^AmkAmpD 2 49:=5[ H96? {686?52CJ $2?E2 42==65 J@F 3J ?2>6[ E92E >6>@CJ H2D AC:46=6DD]k^Am Lois Kilpatrick’s daughter Jan, left, and her friend Antoinette Long, both 4, sit with Legendary Santa in 1957. KILPATRICK FAMILY PHOTO kAmqFE E96 362C5 2?5 3@@ED 3FD:?6DD 92D 925 :ED FAD 2?5 5@H?D :? #:49>@?5] x? E96 `hh_D[ $2?E2 E@@< E96 D?@H @? E96 C@25]k^AmkAm(96? |:==6C U2>Aj #9@25D H6?E @FE @7 3FD:?6DD[ 96 >@G65 E@ %92=9:>6CD 2?5 =2E6C E@ E96 vC62E6C #:49>@?5 r@?G6?E:@? r6?E6C] x? a__d[ 9:D D=6:89 =2?565[ 7:EE:?8=J[ 2E E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]49:=5C6?D>FD6F>@7C:49>@?5]@C8^=686?52CJ\D2?E2Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmr9:=5C6?’D |FD6F> @7 #:49>@?5k^2m[ H96C6 96 2?5 E96 $?@H "F66? C6>2:? E@52J]k^Am kAm%96 =686?5 =:G6D @?]k^Am Legendary Santa appears at the former Thalhimer’s location in downtown Richmond on Nov. 28, 1997. DEAN HOFFMEYER, TIMES-DISPATCH kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C:49>@?5]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^b5`f326a\cd7_\``67\hca4\6f2ace_7g4d2Qm#'p `__i `__ A6@A=6[ A=246D[ E9:?8D E92E J@F D9@F=5 <?@H 23@FE #:49>@?5k^2mk^AmkAmk6>m— !2F= (96=2?k^6>mk^Am — Paul Whelan In this Series RVA 100: 100 people, places, things that you should know about Richmond Updated Aug 30, 2025 RVA 100: The Marlboro sign Updated Sep 6, 2024 RVA 100: When did the murals start going up in Richmond? Updated Sep 6, 2024 RVA 100: The Markel Building, one of the ugliest buildings in the world 76 updates Previous Next 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Paul Whelan Author email Follow Paul Whelan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story RVA 100: Legendary Santa RVA 100 Legendary Santa
Paul Whelan Author email Follow Paul Whelan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
