Rovaniemi, Finland: The Roosevelt Cottage

The northern part of Finland was something of a mess after World War II. Finland has been conquered by Nazi Germany during the War, only to be "liberated" by the Soviet Union along the way. Germany's exit strategy was to burn everything in sight, leaving the place a mess. You can guess what sort of shape the unpopulated part of the country was in at that point.

The UNRRA, the predecessor of UNICEF, tried to help. Lapland was the first place in Finland to receive help in trying to recapture some tourist dollars to aid the economy. Eleanor Roosevelt, the widow of President Franklin Roosevelt, was a key figure in the UNRRA. On May 11, 1950, she came to Rovaniemi to see the new cottage that had been built to spur tourism. 

It was a handy facility for the city that served as the gateway to Northern Finland. Visitors could get a cup of coffee, pick up some souvenirs, and get a special Arctic Circle stamp - since that's exactly where the facility was located. 

Roosevelt's visit worked. Thousands of people passed through Rovaniemi and stopped at the cottage in 1950. They kept coming, to the point where more facilities were built starting in 1956. Today it is part of Santa Claus Village, and contains an exhibit on the history of tourism in the area. 

Who has been there? Lyndon Johnson. Leonid Brezhnev, Josip Tito, Carl Gustav. Golda Meir. Let's take a look: