Eckler, a library science graduate student, is working to catalog and digitize an extensive collection of the museum's "Dear Santa" letters, some dating back to the 1930s. The tradition first started in 1914 when James Martin, the town's postmaster, began receiving children's letters to Santa.
According to Eckler, letters simply addressed to "Santa Claus" were directed to Santa Claus, Indiana—the only post office in the world with that name (a fact that remains true today). The frequency of letters snowballed after Ripley's Believe It or Not! featured the town in January of 1930.
"All of a sudden, all the letters were getting sent to Santa Claus, Indiana. And then it just became the thing to do," Eckler said, adding that the town now receives more than 20,000 letters annually.
Throughout history, children's wishes have often reflected the spirit of their times.
"Some children aren't even asking for gifts,” Eckler said. “They're asking for peace, especially during World War II.”
As an archivist, Eckler has always especially enjoyed working with children's materials. "I think they have a really interesting perspective that adults can learn from," she said.
In addition to working with the letters, Eckler is combing through boxes of photos, Christmas memorabilia, and other museum items.
"I've been using a spreadsheet—going through it item by item, picture by picture—and describing what I see and what condition it's in. I'm looking for any external information I can find, like who owned it prior," she said.
Her goal is to create a searchable database the museum can use to quickly find items in its collection. She also hopes to expand their website and upload the digital archive for anyone in the world to access.
"I think the most important thing is making sure that the museum and the people there are happy and feel good about the work that we've done," Eckler said. "I want to ensure that, whatever they ask, we can achieve that—and even a step above that."
