by Owen from Cleveland asks Santa about the famous leg lamp, learns about the Cuyahoga Valley, and hears about Ohio’s role in early American manufacturing
Dear Santa, my name is Owen and I am nine years old. I live in Cleveland, Ohio, where my grandpa says our city used to make so many different things that people called it a workshop for the whole country.
Dear Owen, your grandpa is not exaggerating. I have relied on Ohio craftsmanship for parts of my own operation more than once over the years.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, is the Christmas Story leg lamp real? My uncle has one in his window every December and my aunt says it is not allowed in the living room.
The lamp from that movie became genuinely famous, Owen, and yes, real replicas exist and are sold every year for exactly the kind of window display your uncle enjoys. Your aunt’s living room rule sounds like a reasonable compromise to me.
My second question is about our valley. My teacher says a national park sits right along a river near our city. Is that true?
It is, Owen. Cuyahoga Valley National Park stretches along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, filled with forests, waterfalls, and trails. Flying low over that quiet, snowy valley each Christmas Eve is a genuinely peaceful part of my route.
My third question is about manufacturing. My teacher says Ohio used to build a huge amount of what the whole country needed, a long time ago. Is that true?
It is true, Owen. Ohio played a major role in early American manufacturing, producing everything from machinery to household goods during a period of rapid growth. That spirit of hardworking craftsmanship has stuck with the region ever since, and I always notice it in the careful, sturdy gifts made there.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Owen Bradley
Cleveland, Ohio
P.S. Do you have a leg lamp at the North Pole?
Mrs. Claus has forbidden it, Owen. I have accepted her decision gracefully.
