This house at 1040 9th Ave. SW has been known as the home of Fort
Dodge’s “Santa Claus” for the past 39 years. “Santa Claus” is, of
course, Van J. Ault, 79, who was the official Santa for the Boston Store
here for 25 years and during that time greeted thousands of youngsters
in the store’s toyland.
Van retired from his interesting occupation some years ago but
occasionally now will don the red and white costume and appear at a
party. Van figures he played the part of “Santa Claus” here for a total
of 49 years. While he spent much time as Santa he was a meat cutter by
trade and worked for the A. & P. Store here many years ago. Later he and
his son John purchased the Kubicek Grocery on Tenth Avenue Southwest and
operated it for a time.
The Ault home is located on property that once was owned by Major
William Williams who platted Fort Dodge in 1854 and was its first mayor
and postmaster. The property has changed ownership many times since then
and was acquired by Van’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Ault, in 1905. The
first deed of record for the property was dated 1864—a conveyance to C.
C. Smeltzer.
[Illustration: The Van Ault home
1040 9th Avenue Southwest]
Original portion of the present house was built during the 1860s. Since
then it has been modernized extensively. Van and his wife purchased the
property in 1936 and have lived there since that time. The house had
four rooms when built, no porches and the exterior was marked by 1 × 12
vertical siding. Van enlarged the house by adding two rooms, bath, two
large porches and a full basement. Van’s brother-in-law and sister, Mr.
and Mrs. Joe Winneka owned the house prior to its purchase by the Van
Aults.
Mr. and Mrs. Ault were parents of four children—Robert with the Celotex
Corporation in Knoxville, Tenn.; John who owns Big John’s Place; Ray,
owner of Ray’s Meat Market; and Mrs. Paul (Lola) Lynch of Pioneer.