Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Downtown Zanesville, Ohio 1939

The illustrious Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer made his debut right here in downtown Zanesville, Ohio at the Montgomery Ward building in December 1939.

The story of Rudolph was penned by Robert May, an employee of Montgomery Ward, and followed the childhood story of the author himself; an awkward and shy personality who struggled to fit in among his peers. His company published the booklet and distributed nearly 3 million copies through all of their retail stores that Christmas - including the grand 4-story location on South 4th Street, Zanesville. The instant hit presented a message of hope and perseverance at a time when World War II had been raging in Europe for a mere 4 months. Montgomery Ward became more than just retail stores as it embraced the success of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

A shortage of paper during the war prevented any further printings of the book until 1947, when the president of Montgomery Ward, Sewell Avery, graciously handed over full copyright of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to Robert May - free and clear. The success that followed, through countless books, films, music, and other adaptations, made May a very successful man. Like Rudolph, the once shunned child had certainly found a place in the world later in life. 

My painting of Montgomery Ward in Zanesville, Ohio blends historically accurate details that reveal how this beautiful building appeared that Christmas in 1939, as well as surrealistic images borrowed directly from Robert May's original hand-illustrated manuscript, including Rudolph leading Santa's sleigh and the Boeing 307 Stratoliner flying overhead. I've added a c. 1939 plush 'Rudolph' in the store window, seemingly coming to life in astonishment upon seeing his real-life self. 

My wife, Erin Cole, and I purchased the old Montgomery Ward building in 2022. At the time it had been mostly empty since 1975, possessed no utilities, and rotted-out floors. There was a demolition order on the structure. We created a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization - Cole Center Zanesville - and donated the building to it. Since then, we've poured our hearts into renovating this historic building that is a rare example of its c. 1920s architecture with a lot of support from the city and our community. Our plan includes turning this 27,000 square-foot structure into an education center for local youth, a center for art and design, and home to a rare collection of aerospace exhibits to make Zanesville a key part of Ohio's greater identity as a home of aviation history and innovation. 

Proceeds from the sale of this artwork will be invested in this non-profit local venture!