[2] Dodge published work by the country's leading writers, including Louisa May Alcott, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Mark Twain, Laura E. Richards and Joel Chandler Harris.

Many famous writers were first published in St. Nicholas League, a department that offered awards and cash prizes to the best work submitted by its juvenile readers.

[4] At the time Dodge was an associate editor of the weekly periodical Hearth and Home,[5] as well as the author of children's novels, including the best-seller Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates.

Each month contests were held for the best poems, stories, essays, drawings, photographs, and puzzles submitted by the magazine's young readers.

The most prolific poetry contest winner was Edna St. Vincent Millay, who had seven poems published in the League.

She created the magazine departments, wrote the monthly column Jack-in-the-Pulpit, and contributed many stories and poems.

In the first issue she explained why she chose St. Nicholas for the name of the magazine: In order to retain her juvenile readers for many years, Dodge created departments for different age groups.

Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel Little Lord Fauntleroy first appeared as a St. Nicholas serial, beginning in the November 1885 issue.

[10] Other novels to be serialized in St. Nicholas were Louisa May Alcott's Eight Cousins and Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer Abroad.

The printing and art facilities of the prosperous new owner was made available to St. Nicholas, and the magazine continued to thrive.

[4] Starting in 1881, he took on more responsibilities when, upon the death of her son, Mary Mapes Dodge limited her work load.

As editor, Clarke placed more emphasis on departments, perhaps because he lacked Dodge's close ties to famous authors.

Departments devoted to short plays, science and philately (stamp collecting) were added to St. Nicholas.

[4] Editors under the last two owners were Albert Gallatin Lanier (1930), May Lamberton Becker (1930–32), Eric J. Bender (1932–34), Chesla Sherlock (1935),[4] Vertie A. Coyne (1936–40), and Juliet Lit Sterne (1943).

[5] A popular service provided to St. Nicholas subscribers was that, for a small fee, six issues could be sent off to be bound into a hard-back volume, with crimson covers and a gold-stamped title.

Treasury of Best-Loved Stories, Poems Games & Riddles from St. Nicholas Magazine, edited by Commager, was published in 1978 by Greenwich House.

In addition, Burton Frye compiled A St. Nicholas Anthology: the Early Years for Meredith House in 1969.