137-465: The Knott's Berry Farm amusement park in Orange County, California , originated from a berry farm owned by Walter Knott (1889–1981). In the 1920s, Knott and his wife, Cordelia, sold berries, berry preserves and pies from a roadside stand beside State Route 39 , near the small town of Buena Park . In 1932, on a visit to Rudolph Boysen 's farm in nearby Anaheim, Walter Knott was introduced to
274-459: A "summer-long county fair" included – naturally – boysenberry pie eating contests. When Disneyland was built in nearby Anaheim, the two attractions were not seen as direct competitors, due to the different nature of each. Walt Disney visited Knott's Berry Farm on several occasions, and hosted the Knotts at his own park (including inviting the Knotts to Disneyland's opening day). The two Walters had
411-407: A '49er's guest book, while waiting for the free Covered Wagon Show, which was a cyclorama - a 20 by 50 foot mural depicting a wagon train crossing the desert, as well as three-dimensional displays in the foreground. It included a three-minute audio presentation in tribute to those hardy 1849 pioneers. Special lighting changed the daytime scene to night, with moon and stars. It ended with the voice of
548-536: A 15-million-year-old petrified log, a thirteen-foot diameter cross section of coastal redwood cut at age 750 years, a visible bee-hive and an oxcart, with several wagons provided additional photo opportunities. The entire operation would soon be renamed Knott's Berry Place. Walt built a 12-foot-tall volcano of lava rock trucked in from the Pisgah Crater in the Mojave Desert and equipped it with
685-593: A Windmill water pump originally from England and used here on a ranch beside the Livery Stable housing a collection of wagons, coaches, and horse-drawn hearses. Walter did not think his collection of old buildings would get much bigger, so the stable was placed across "the end" of Main St. and the Dry Gulch Pack Train and stage coach ride planned for Stage Coach Road. The General Merchandise Store (1944)
822-467: A boiler that rumbled, hissed, and spit steam at the push of a button. Two signs posted nearby read: "It's not half as fool a thing as it seems," Knott told Farm Journal . "When the customers pile up so we can't seat them, the girls send them out to ... play with the volcano. They get so interested that I've had to install a loud speaker system to call them to their meals when the tables are ready." The volcano cost $ 600, and Knott figured it paid for itself
959-468: A child, then proceeded to purchase the entire town and restored the Calico Hotel there. Many structures were re-created on the ruins of their foundation. Other structures were disassembled, removed, and reassembled near the railroad depot to create the new Calico Square. When folks wanted entertainment during the day, Walter provided several more intimate shows, more frequently. The Calico Saloon at
1096-409: A cordial relationship, and worked together on a number of community causes. As Knott's Berry Farm continued to grow in the 1950s, new displays were added. A featured attraction of 1954 which existed at both Knott's Berry Farm and the recently acquired Calico, California was a walk through amusement purporting to demonstrate aberrations of gravity. Knott%27s Berry Farm Knott's Berry Farm
1233-477: A crooked poker game. To interest folks and entice them to the back of the line, Gold Dust Goldie's Hotel featured a live gentleman interested in a few details about your group about to visit Sad Eye Joe back in the Town Jail – to surprise them with personal comments. Goldie's leg in fishnet stocking and high-button shoe, covered with petticoats hung out of an upstairs window of Goldie's Place and would kick to thump
1370-528: A destination as word spread. A wild west style horse show was in an open air bleacher stadium, where Calico Mine Ride is now. It was similar to the Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show . The Butterfield Stagecoach Line left every few minutes from the Stage Depot in 1949. Well trained four-horse teams hauled historic equipment – 3 original Butterfield coaches, 1 Halloday coach, 1 Overland Southern coach and
1507-607: A family business for another fourteen years. In the 1980s, Knott's built the Calico Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde as the house band. It was during the height of the " Urban Cowboy " era. The "Calico Barn Dance" was featured in Knott's TV commercials. During the 1980s, Knott's met the competition in Southern California theme parks by theming a new land and building two massive attractions: Kingdom of
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#17327982782581644-512: A fanciful representation of a small steam locomotive on a narrated journey touring the "Calico Mine". Admission could be purchased from the shack at the base of the trail up to the station. An underground lake, steam geyser , shaft elevator, Philip Deidesheimer 's Square-set timbering construction techniques on the lift hill and several glimpses of the "Glory Hole" could be seen aboard this power assisted gravity coaster. A day-glow painted cavern featured several formations of stalactites hanging from
1781-412: A horse-themed family roller coaster installed in 2008 and Calico River Rapids , which opened in 1988 and was refurbished with a new theme for the 2019 season. Nearby Pony Express is Rapids Trader, a small merchandise stand. It is also home to Mystery Lodge, a multimedia show based on an Expo 86 pavilion featuring a Native American storyteller. Western Trails Museum, relocated between the candy store and
1918-469: A little girl saying "Mommy, I want a drink of water!" Along the south side of Main Street where the line of waiting diners wrapped around the building, he filled themed "shops" with relics set into a scene of whimsy. Starting at the corner of Gold Mine Road and Main Street, "Deadwood Dick's" grave marker showed that he died with his boots on, near Soldado José wood carving of a Mexican Soldier. The playback in
2055-431: A major tourist draw, and the Knotts built several shops and other attractions to entertain visitors waiting for a seat in the restaurant. In 1940, Walter Knott began constructing a replica Ghost Town on the property, the beginning of the present-day theme park. Ghost Town was Walter Knott's tribute to the pioneers, which included his own grandparents who came to California in a covered wagon from Texas in 1868 (when his mother
2192-511: A makeover for its 30th anniversary. In summer 2014, Knott's Berry Farm opened up new rides in Camp Snoopy. The 2 ft ( 610 mm ) narrow gauge Beagle Express takes guest on a four-minute train ride through the reflection lake. The ride was made shorter with the construction of Silver Bullet. As part of the 30th Anniversary makeover, the train ride received a series of Peanuts vignettes (made by Garner Holt Productions ) along
2329-488: A makeshift vise . Other items came from alongside the Pacific Electric Railway right-of-way between Watts and Wilmington . Rodia often walked the right-of-way all the way to Wilmington in search of material, a distance of nearly 20 miles (32 km). In the summer of 1954, Rodia suffered a mild stroke. Shortly after the stroke, he fell off a tower from a low height. In 1955, Rodia gave his property to
2466-498: A masterfully executed painting of a Native American family lit by firelight entitled "The Night Watch," by noted artist Charles Christian Nahl , that Walter Knott's art director, Paul von Klieben had urged him to purchase. Also included was a collection of ancient ornate musical instruments, coin-operated amusements, gambling devices, along with elaborate and rare music boxes from France, Switzerland, and Germany. The Swiss birdcages featuring whistling mechanical automaton birds were among
2603-461: A mine shaft following a vein of gold down into a large open pit and the Pan-for-Gold activity where customers could buy a ticket to pan for real gold to take home in a vial. Nearby the gold mine shaft entrance, the prospectors mule would haul a stone around an Arrastra , a circular ore grinding pit, filled with gold bearing quartz to release its gold. (In 1998, the mine entrance was converted to
2740-480: A miniature railroad with a carousel at its edge, by the ticket and boat house. Bud Hurlbut operated the amusements, and built most of them. The lake featured rental rowboats and paddle-boats and the Cordelia K. – a side-wheel riverboat excursion named for Walt's wife. Corn kernels could be purchased by the handful from gum-ball machines mounted on poles near the water's edge, and a popular activity for local residents
2877-456: A neighbor and left, reportedly tired of battling with the City of Los Angeles for permits, and because he understood the possible consequences of his aging and being alone. He also mentioned that the towers were frequently vandalized by neighbors. He moved to Martinez, California , to be with his sister. He remained there for the next eleven years until his death in 1965. Rodia's bungalow inside
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#17327982782583014-588: A new hybrid berry of a blackberry , a red raspberry , and a loganberry cross-bred by Boysen, who gave Walter his last six wilted berry-hybrid plants. Walter planted and cultivated them, then the family sold the berries at their roadside stand. When people asked what kind they were, he called them " boysenberries ". In 1934, to make ends meet during the Great Depression , Knott's wife Cordelia (1890–1974) began serving fried chicken dinners on their wedding china. For dessert, Knott's signature Boysenberry Pie
3151-403: A period of 33 years from 1921 to 1954. The tallest of the towers is 99.5 feet (30.3 m). The work is an example of outsider art (or Art Brut) and Italian-American naïve art . The Watts Towers were designated a National Historic Landmark and a California Historical Landmark in 1990. They are also a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument , and one of nine folk art sites listed in
3288-466: A roadside berry stand run by Walter Knott along State Route 39 in California. By the 1940s, a restaurant, several shops, and other attractions had been constructed on the property to entertain a growing number of visitors, including a replica ghost town . The site continued its transformation into a modern amusement park over the next two decades, and an admission charge was added in 1968. In 1997,
3425-462: A salute to the hardship endured by early settlers. Originally the entrance was through the open end of a Conestoga Wagon The canvas covering of the wagon entrance did not last long and was converted to a wooden extension of the hotel which effectively 'built-in' the wagon. The enclosed Conestoga Wagon showcased several artifacts relating to the pioneers who endured the hardship of traveling to California in covered wagons. Pioneers were welcomed to sign
3562-409: A shallow moat to a forested hill where children found adventure and played hide-and-seek games all day. Woodamles were "creatures" made from strange shapes of wood with glowing googly eyes and nearby speakers to give them voice. Kids could ride a pair of Woodamles at the water's edge like a teeter-totter, which activated splashing effects. Another woodamle nearby was ridden like a rocking horse to spray
3699-464: A stream of water out over the moat. There were paths up the terraced hill which led to more woodamles and activities. The "Catawampus" woodamle survives beside the windmill in Ghost Town, but Jungle Island and the adjoining Burro Trail were incorporated into the private picnic grounds in the 1990s. North of Jungle Island, Knott's lagoon covered more than an acre with an artificial lake, encircled by
3836-537: A three-dimensional model of the Steak House, as well as overseeing construction and the process for treating new lumber to make it look old. Von Klieben painted numerous portraits and landscapes, a number of which still hang in various buildings in Knott's Berry Farm. He was a very versatile artist, and even wielded a spray gun to paint concrete to look like rock in the Gold Mine area. When Walter Knott purchased
3973-459: A tribute to his adopted country and a monument to the spirit of individuals who make their dreams tangible. Rodia's Towers inspired many to rally and preserve his work and protect it for the future. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art mounted a 1962 photographic exhibition, Simon Rodia’s Towers in Watts: A Photographic Exhibition , which was the first museum exhibition on the art or Simon Rodia and
4110-518: A visit to the towers. In his book White Sands Geoff Dyer writes about his visit to the Watts Towers in the chapter "The Ballad of Jimmy Garrison". The short story With Virgil Oddum At The East Pole by an American science fiction writer Harlan Ellison is directly inspired by the Watts Towers and dedicated to the memory of Sabotini Rodia. The story placed first in the 1986 Locus Award for Best Short Story . The Watts Towers Arts Center
4247-467: A visit with Santa Claus. This event was created by Gary Salisbury in the fall of 1985. Praise has been a Christian-themed celebration presented for many years as a mix-in special event of music and comedy on New Year's Eve. A boysenberry festival is held at Knott's that has food and drink prepared in a variety of ways with boysenberries. There are also special shows and music for the multi-week event. The park consists of four themed areas: Ghost Town
History of Knott's Berry Farm - Misplaced Pages Continue
4384-413: A well-known portrait artist, to take over. Von Klieben liked what Knott was trying to accomplish, and the two of them bonded quickly. Von Klieben finished the cyclorama in just a few weeks. Knott then put him to work on the rest of Ghost Town, and it became one of the most productive relationships in Knott's history. Von Klieben planned most of Ghost Town, including producing concept art, floor plans and
4521-488: A yellow combination baggage/coach No. 103 Calico with arrows embedded near the baggage door (now renamed to original Chama , arrows and numbers removed and painted in heritage period Pullman-green livery of D&RGW ) and several more vintage wooden passenger coaches filled with guests on round trip excursions when the route opened on January 12, 1952. The Durango parlor car, the Silverton observation sleeper and
4658-403: Is Charles M. Schulz ' " Peanuts " comic strip characters. Snoopy has been the mascot of Knott's Berry Farm since 1983, and the characters can now be seen at some of Six Flags's parks. For guests who cannot ride the park's more aggressive and thrilling rides, Camp Snoopy contains a good number of rides for guests of all ages including infants, children, and seniors. Except for Sierra Sidewinder,
4795-657: Is a 57-acre (2,500,000 sq ft) amusement park in Buena Park, California , United States, owned and operated by Six Flags . In March 2015, it was ranked as the twelfth-most-visited theme park in North America , while averaging approximately 4 million visitors per year. The park features over 40 rides, including roller coasters , family rides , dark rides , and water rides . Walter and Cordelia Knott first settled in Buena Park in 1920. The park began as
4932-630: Is an adjacent community arts center. The current facility opened in 1970. Before that, the Center operated under a canopy next to the Towers. The center was built and staffed by the non-profit Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts. Changing displays of contemporary artworks are on exhibit, and tours of the Watts Towers are conducted by the center. The center's Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center holds art classes, primarily for youth and Special Needs adults from
5069-543: Is based on the ghost town of Calico, California and other real ghost towns in the Western United States. Walter Knott inherited his uncle's silver mill and land, then bought more of the actual ghost town in 1951 and developed it. In 1966, he donated that property to the corporate-municipal County of San Bernardino which then made the town of Calico into a public historic park, for which it charged an entrance/parking fee. Craftsmen in Ghost Town demonstrate
5206-557: Is dutifully forwarded to the U.S. Postal Service. In 1951, work began to grade and lay track for a grand circle rail route for recently acquired authentic 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge C-19 engines No. 340 Green River (renamed Gold Nugget #40) from the Denver & Rio Grande and No. 41 Red Cliff from the Rio Grande Southern , historic Consolidation class (2-8-0) locomotives from Colorado. They would haul
5343-431: Is intended to provide "solace" to visitors from other parts of the country where theme parks and roller coasters are seasonal, not year-round operations like the Southern California parks. Knott's Berry Farm also used to give attendees behind-the-scenes tours of the rides. A Christmas event known as "Knott's Merry Farm" also happens annually. Previous Merry Farm events have included manufactured snow, handcraft exhibits, and
5480-509: Is located at Knott's Boardwalk, featuring over 5,900 square feet (550 m ) of indoor dining space for more than 260 guests. Also located in The Boardwalk is the 2000-seat Walter Knott Theatre hosting seasonal offerings, notably the ice-skating show "Snoopy's Night Before Christmas", with several different ice shows in the past, one of which, "Merry Christmas Snoopy!" relocated to California's Great America , another Cedar Fair park. It
5617-521: Is not the case. Walter Knott explained that he built Ghost Town as a composite to represent ghost towns throughout the West, rather than as a replica of any one particular ghost town. The Calico Saloon was not named "Ghost Town" because it is supposedly located in Calico. Rather, it was named for the tradition of lining Gold-Rush-era buildings with red calico fabric. Also, the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad
History of Knott's Berry Farm - Misplaced Pages Continue
5754-835: Is now just south of the saloon in Ghost Town. The park became a popular destination for conservative college students in the 1960s, especially as conservative organizations like the California Free Enterprise Association, the Libres Foundation, and the Americanism Educational League were based there. According to Assistant Professor Caroline Rolland-Diamond of the Paris West University Nanterre La Défense : it also appealed to conservative Americans, young and old, because
5891-710: Is widely known and accepted that he was referred to as "Sam" by close friends. He appears as Samuel Rodia (and still living in Oakland) in the 1910 U.S. Census, but by the time of the 1920 U.S. Census, he had already become Sam Rodia. His surname has also been misspelled as "Rodella" or "Rodilla". The sculptures' armatures are constructed from steel rebar and Rodia's own concoction of a type of concrete, wrapped with wire mesh. The main supports are embedded with pieces of porcelain , tile, and glass. They are decorated with found objects , including bottles, ceramic tiles, seashells , figurines, mirrors , and other items. Rodia called
6028-699: The 1994 Northridge earthquake in the region, with only a few pieces shaken loose. An extensive restoration project by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art began in 2017. The site re-opened in November 2022 when the work was finished. California Historic Landmark Marker on the site reads: NO. 993 WATTS TOWERS OF SIMON RODIA – The Watts Towers are perhaps the nation's best known work of folk art sculpture. Using simple hand tools, cast off materials (glass, shell, pottery pieces and broken tile) Italian immigrant Simon Rodia spent 30 years building
6165-612: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art received a grant from the James Irvine Foundation to scientifically assess and report on the condition of the Watts Towers, to continue to preserve the undisturbed structural integrity and composition of the aging works of art. Weather and moisture caused pieces of tile and glass to become loose on the towers, which are conserved for reattachment in the ongoing restoration work. The structures suffered little from
6302-1067: The National Register of Historic Places in Los Angeles . The Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park encompasses the Watts Towers site. Sabato ("Simon" or "Sam") Rodia (12 February, 1878 – July 17, 1965) was born and raised in Serino , Italy . In 1895, aged fifteen, he emigrated to the United States with his brother. Rodia lived in Pennsylvania until his brother died in a mining incident. He then moved to Seattle, Washington , where he married Lucia Ucci in 1902. They soon moved to Oakland , where Rodia's three children were born. Following his divorce around 1909, he moved to Long Beach and worked in construction and other odd jobs before finally settling in Watts in 1920. Among
6439-534: The Silver Bullet station. Fiesta Village was built in 1969 under the pretense of a Mexican theme. It was built to pay tribute to California's Spanish and Mexican heritage. It was the second area constructed after the completion of Ghost Town. Stores like Casa California, restaurants like Pancho's Tacos, La Papa Loca, and La Victoria Cantina, games like Shoot If Yucan, and themed rides like La Revolución, Jaguar!, and MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress, along with
6576-543: The Taste Of events in its annual Golden Ticket Awards , awarding the park under the category "Industry Leader: Amusement/Theme Park" for its innovative approach. Knott's Berry Farm returned to normal operation on May 6, 2021, including the debut of the delayed Knott's Bear-y Tales attraction originally planned for 2020. On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags , and the combined Six Flags Entertainment Corporation took over Knott's Berry Farm, making them part of
6713-454: The longhouse and listen to the storyteller weave a tale of the importance of family from the smoke of the bonfire. The Jaguar! was opened on June 17, 1995, to add another roller coaster to the mix of Fiesta Village alongside Montezooma's Revenge. In the 1990s, after Walter and Cordelia died, their children decided to sell off their businesses. In 1995, the Knott family sold the food specialty business to ConAgra Inc , which later re-sold
6850-501: The 1940s and 1950s. Most of the buildings on Main Street were completed in late 1940 or early 1941. Most of the rest of Ghost Town was completed over the next decade and a half. In 1939, Walter Knott had engaged an artist to paint the mural for the cyclorama in the Gold Trails Hotel (see below) on a weekly salary. However, nearly a year went by with little progress, and then the artist quit. Knott hired Paul von Klieben ,
6987-476: The 1970s with the addition of a nostalgic traditional amusement area, Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars, and Knott's Bear-y Tales . Then with the northward expansion of a 1920s-era Knott's Airfield-themed area featuring the Cloud 9 Dance Hall, Sky Cabin/Sky Jump and Motorcycle Chase steeplechase roller coaster above the electric guided rail Gasoline Alley car ride. The Sky Tower with the illuminated "K" in logo script at
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#17327982782587124-821: The 2021 season, and " The Gift of the Magi " and "A Christmas Carol" for the 2022 season, and as well as a Halloween Haunt thrill show. The Calico Stage, a large open-air stage in Calico Square, hosts a variety of shows and acts, big and small, from "Home for the Holidays", a Knott's Merry Farm Christmas skit with singing, those of elementary school students, Gallagher, a local band, and the summer-spectacular All Wheels Extreme stunt show featuring youthful performers demonstrating aerial tricks with acrobatics, trampolines, and riding ramps with skates, scooters, skateboards, and freestyle bikes to popular music. The Calico Saloon recreates
7261-583: The Antique Auto Ride and Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's and other theme parks. The Calico Mine Train remains a popular attraction. A faithful re-creation of "The Jersey Lilly" Judge Roy Bean 's Saloon in Langtry, Texas opened in 1947 with casks on each end of the bar disguising Boysenberry Drink fountains. Coin-operated vintage gambling machines were converted to amusements where every pull
7398-730: The Assayer's Office pits the owner attempting to discover, and jump, the claim location against the prospector yet to stake his claim. Hop Wing Lee the proprietor of the Chinese Laundry irons endlessly, singing western tunes in Mandarin. The Barber shaves One Eye Ike and contemplates his wanted poster hanging nearby. A piano player was hired to play outside the Silver Dollar Saloon where real cups of boysenberry drink could be purchased with snacks. The Sheriff's Office hosted
7535-493: The B-20 Edna Business cars were held with the caboose on sidings during normal operation. Whether in the heavyweight steam train or the light duty Galloping Goose No. 3, the highlight for many guests was their encounter with the "train robbers" of Knott's Scenic Route of the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad. Bud Hurlbut created this rumbling tour aboard six ore cars fitted along the sides with benches behind
7672-470: The Boardwalk section of the park. An old bridge that connected the exit of Coast Rider and the Boardwalk became the entrance to Surfside Gliders and Pacific Scrambler. Following the 2013 season, Knott's Berry Farm removed Windseeker and moved it to Worlds of Fun, where it reopened in 2014. For the 2014 season, the historical Calico Mine Ride underwent a major refurbishment completed in six months. During
7809-477: The Boardwalk. The boardwalk reopened a year later with two flat rides and a new family roller coaster taking the place of Perilous Plunge. The Boomerang roller coaster was repainted in green and yellow. Boomerang was removed in 2017 to make way for HangTime. At the south end of the boardwalk is the family interactive dark ride: Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair . The world's largest Johnny Rockets restaurant
7946-765: The Covered Wagon Camp nowadays, with impromptu shootouts in front of the Blacksmith, outhouse and Calico Saloon. Between the saloon and the general mercantile was the Post Office which was for a time a real working U.S. post office and Wells Fargo Express walk-in attraction displays. The post office featured cutting-edge 1870s postal technology and the Express office depicted activities of a gunsmith. Contemporary postage stamps can be purchased there daily from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and mail deposited
8083-517: The Dinosaurs , a primeval retheme of Knott's Bear-y Tales), in 1987 and Bigfoot Rapids in 1988, a whitewater river rafting ride as the centerpiece of the new themed area Wild Water Wilderness. The Boomerang roller coaster replaced Corkscrew in 1990 with a lift shuttle train passing to and from through a cobra roll and a vertical loop for six inversions each trip. The Mystery Lodge (1994), inspired by General Motors "Spirit Lodge" pavilion,
8220-480: The General Store to accommodate Calico River Rapids (formerly Bigfoot Rapids), still features historical western artifacts large and small, from a hand-powered horse-drawn fire engine to a miniature replica of a borax hauling "Twenty Mule Team" and utensils necessary to survive the prairie and wilderness. A common misconception is that at Knott's the terms "Ghost Town" and "Calico" are interchangeable, but that
8357-681: The Green Witch, which was portrayed by Charlene Parker from 1983 to 2017, the longest of any performer. Several attractions are decorated for the event including the Timber Mountain Log Ride and Calico Mine Train and there are 13 mazes of various themes. Elvira (actress Cassandra Peterson ) was introduced into the Halloween Event in 1982 and was prominently featured in many Halloween Haunt events until 2001. According to postings on her My Space page, Cassandra
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#17327982782588494-564: The Gun Shop is an exhibit of machinery used in the manufacture of guns, including a boring machine and a rifling machine. The School House is an actual one-room school house (built in 1879), including the contents, that Walter Knott purchased at auction in Kansas (through a local agent). Knott had been looking for a one-room school house to buy. Nina Duden, a local teacher, who had come from Kansas, heard that this unused, boarded-up school house
8631-527: The Knott's Berry Farm Entertainment Department as documented in the DVD Season of Screams. Initially, fake corpses and other static figures were rented from a Hollywood prop house, but Bud Hurlbut , the creator/concessionaire of the Mine Ride, Log Ride and other rides at Knott's, decided that this wasn't enough. He dressed up in a gorilla suit and started scaring guests on the Mine Ride. Halloween Haunt
8768-636: The Knott's Berry Farm coach that was built for the farm in 1954. Guests enjoyed a Stagecoach journey North to Whiskey Flat looping around the badlands filled with bad men. In 1956, Knott's added the Western Trails Museum. Marion Speer , who had a degree from the Colorado School of Mines , worked for the Texas Company (Texaco oil) and had spent a lifetime collecting geological specimens, Native American artifacts and relics of
8905-711: The Old West. In 1936, Speer established the Western Trails Museum in a small building he erected next to his house at 7862 Speer Avenue (The street was named in his honor) in the Liberty Park section of Huntington Beach. With financial contributions from donors, including members of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, he added onto the building, twice. It was said to be the largest private collection in existence. Marion Speer
9042-466: The Prairie Schooner canvas. Part of that installation included Sutters a fast food burger, hot dog, pizza, chilli, fries and drinks stand, served in a folding cardboard box as a box lunch for enjoyment in the Covered Wagon Camp, setting a precedent and long-standing tradition of enjoying a meal purchased at Knott's to be enjoyed anywhere . Knott's Berry Farm transitioned from a way-point into
9179-479: The Towers "Nuestro Pueblo" ("our town" in Spanish ). He built them with no special equipment or predetermined design, working alone with hand tools. Neighborhood children brought pieces of broken pottery to Rodia, and he also used damaged pieces from Malibu Potteries and CALCO ( California Clay Products Company ). Green glass includes recognizable soft drink bottles from the 1930s through the 1950s, some still bearing
9316-540: The Underdog , writing about his childhood fascination with Rodia and his work. There is also a reference to the work in Don DeLillo 's novel Underworld . California-based poet Robert Duncan featured Rodia's Towers in his 1959 poem, "Nel Mezzo del Cammin di Nostra Vita," as an example of democratic art that is free of church/state power structures. In her 1974 book, Eve's Hollywood , Eve Babitz describes
9453-430: The West, conducted research, and designed most of the Ghost Town section of Knott's Berry Farm. He created concept art for most of the buildings that were built there. He also drew up floor plans, oversaw the construction of buildings, and even spent some time painting concrete to look like natural rock. His Old West paintings and murals adorned the walls of many structures in the park, and a number of them still do. His art
9590-551: The addition of wishing wells, rock gardens with miniature waterfalls, water wheels and a grindstone "Down by the Old Mill Stream", near a replica of George Washington's Mount Vernon fireplace which the Knotts had seen while on vacation and admired it so much that they replicated it behind Jams & Jellies; Lost and Found, Nursery, Preserving Kitchen and Administration Offices. Before long, the Knotts had added Virginia's Gift Shop and several more shops and attractions such as
9727-499: The age of 84. The museum was initially housed in a building (which was razed in 1987 to clear a pathway to the new Big Foot Rapids ride) at Knott’s Berry Farm between Jeffries Barn (now known as Wilderness Dance Hall) and the schoolhouse. The Western Trails Museum is now just south of the saloon in Ghost Town. In 1951, Walter Knott inherited his uncle's silver mill in Calico , an old silver mining town near Barstow , where he worked as
9864-574: The arts of the blacksmith , woodcarver , glassblower , sign cutter, and spinner . Demonstrations of narrow-gauge railroading and farm equipment hobbyists accompany additional merchant stalls of cottage-craft fairs seasonally at discounted admission which is restricted to Ghost Town only. The Ghost Town area has a few other notable attractions. The Bird Cage Theatre is an old-fashioned theater in Ghost Town. It only hosts two seasonal entertainments—during "Knott's Merry Farm", which includes two small productions: "Marley's Wings" and " A Christmas Carol ", for
10001-477: The basis for fabricating much of what was to become Knott's – from stairways to mountains and tunnels, even the drinking fountains shaped like tree-stumps. Using techniques like those on the Watts Towers one could set decoration in it, like the sheet of quartz containing a dark sandy vein indicating gold – as was the entrance to the gold mine/pan for gold. From the West side of the volcano, guests could enter
10138-492: The beginnings of Halloween Haunt and the story behind how it all got started back in 1973. Season of Screams also highlights recent Halloween Haunts. Winter Coaster Solace is an event that takes place on the first or second weekend of March every year when roller coaster enthusiasts can come before the park opens and stay after the park closes to ride the rides and eat at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It
10275-638: The brand to The J.M. Smucker Company in 2008. (In 2024, Smuckers discontinued sale of the Knott's Berry Farm jams in grocery stores. ) On December 29, 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair. Initially, the Knotts were given an opportunity to sell the park to The Walt Disney Company . The park would have been amalgamated into the Disneyland Resort and converted into Disney's America , which had previously failed to be built near Washington, D.C. The Knotts refused to sell
10412-423: The bulk of the traffic between eastern Los Angeles and Orange County. Great location and good value were the restaurant's conditions of success which attracted long lines of diners. As time went on, more shops and interactive displays were opened to entertain patrons waiting for a seat at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. The Berry Market expanded South from Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant along Grand Avenue with
10549-508: The carefully cataloged collection (30,000 items) to Knott's in return for Knott's housing it, displaying it and naming Speer as curator. Speer continued in that position until he retired in 1969 at the age of 84. The museum was once housed in a building (which has since been razed) at Knott's Berry Farm between Jeffries Barn (now known as the Wilderness Dance Hall) and the schoolhouse. The Western Trails Museum at Knott's
10686-547: The ceiling, and stalagmites building slowly from the floor, to dramatic organ music. Dead Man's Trestle was then crossed slowly before the train became a "runaway" through a blasting zone and cave-in for a thrilling climax of this enclosed, power assisted gravity roller-coaster. Along the front was an overhang built to cover the Mule Train boarding area. The Mule Trail was relocated east across Beach Boulevard, and then removed entirely when those shallow canyons were converted to
10823-458: The clapboarding, as if to advertise the brothel. Reflecting humor in illiteracy, the establishment's name was intentionally misspelled "Pitchur Gallery". In 1940, Gus Thornrose set up shop behind the 'G'old trails hotel, with standees , a Western saloon bar-room scene, and even a stuffed bucking bronco posed in mid throw. Near the cuspidor (spittoon) was a sign which was captured in many souvenir photographs "Spit on ceiling, anyone can spit on
10960-686: The cost was based on purchasing a ticket for each ride, using the A-E ticketing system similar to that of Disneyland. The Calico Log Ride (the original name of the Timber Mountain Log Ride ) opened in 1969. Also during this period, an attempt to create a monorail system between Knott's and Disneyland was reportedly in the works for many years, however, project construction never began due to costs and legal issues obtaining needed property and gaining necessary right-of-way access. When Cordelia Knott died on April 12, 1974, Walter turned his attention toward political causes. The Roaring Twenties rethemed Gypsy Camp in
11097-428: The curves. Gasoline Alley, an electric steel-guide rail car ride below, was built together and intimately intertwined, which enhanced ride-to-ride interaction thrill value. Rider safety concerns of the high center of gravity coupled with the method of rider restraints caused it to be rethemed Wacky Soap Box Racers with vehicles themed to look like soap box racers, each seating two riders, strapped in low (nearly straddling
11234-516: The enclosure burned down as a result of an accident on the Fourth of July 1956, and the City of Los Angeles condemned the structure and ordered it all to be destroyed. Actor Nicholas King and film editor William Cartwright visited the site in 1959, and purchased the property from Rodia's neighbor for $ 2,000 in order to preserve it. The city's decision to pursue expediting the demolition was still in force. The towers had already become famous and there
11371-540: The enclosure read "This is the apparatus that controls the volcano. It was made by Henry Legano, and is operated by the gentleman turning the crank. (Sound effect by Bob Halliard.)". The volcano became the "Cornerstone" for a real gold mine, both figuratively and literally. The most popular genre of motion picture at the time was 'The Western,' and western theming was quick and easy to make: slap some concrete over chicken wire and carve it into rockwork before it sets, known today as shotcrete . This construction technique became
11508-517: The entrance for the Ghost Rider rollercoaster which descended from the station into the former Gold Mine pit. Pan-for-Gold was moved West to School House Road between Boot Hill and the Miner's Bank, but has since been moved back to the original location.) The portrait artists at Knott's have a long history there. Claude Bell was a sculptor and artist at Knott's from 1947 through 1986. He created
11645-585: The fall of 2019, Knott's Berry Farm announced the return of Knott's Bear-y Tales as an interactive 4D dark ride as part of the park's 100th anniversary in 2020 with the name Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair . However, the park was indefinitely shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of its operating day on March 13, 2020. Knott's Bear-y Tales and other planned changes to the park were postponed to 2021. In June 2020, Knott's Marketplace reopened with health guidelines in place. The following month,
11782-556: The fiberglass dancing girl figures on a bench outside the saloon.) A wide stairway led up to the interior and outside balconies. The inside balcony provided additional seating and tables, along with the best view of the show. A pair of baskets operated like a dumbwaiter to lift meal orders up to the hostess there. Outside in Calico Square Harvey Walker played Doctor I. Will Skinem performed his Medicine Show and peddled "Boysenberry Elixir" from his wagon/stage near
11919-502: The first month. At some point in the late '50s or early '60s, a fanciful mechanical contraption displayed within a 2'x2' box replaced the manual push button. A small red devil with fiery wings cranked a chain behind the glass driving a larger black drum fitted with bent sheet metal acting as cams around its edge, several turns of the demon would cause the cams to strike switches and the active volcano would illuminate, rumble, hiss and/or steam – simulating vulcan activity. The caption sign above
12056-399: The first time, in 1968, an admission price was required to get into that section of the park (ostensibly to keep out the "hippies" and local long-haired youth from freely "hanging out" in the park that were, on occasion, causing problems and degrading the Knott's "family" image). The entrance price originally being set at $ 1 for adults and 25¢ for children. Previous to this, entry was free and
12193-517: The floor." Folks could select from a wide variety of costuming and stand for a pose, or choose to put their faces through holes of humorous standees such as lifting weights, prospector dancing with a Can-can girl or sit behind painted oxen hauling a covered wagon to be captured with vintage wooden large format bellows cameras onto glass photographic plates . Digital capture has since replaced the labor-intensive development process. "You'll never know how good you look, until ya gits yer pitchur took." Along
12330-565: The former attraction Tampico Tumbler, all contribute to the Mexican and Aztec theme of the area. In 2013 colorful string lights were added for the summer season. Boardwalk Games include physical challenges such as a three-point challenge, baseball, and test your strength. Hawkers pitch a variety of traditional games as well, such as water racers, bucket toss, whack a mole, and ping pong toss. In September 2012, Perilous Plunge – one of Knott's major thrill rides – closed for an expansion of
12467-502: The former logos of 7 Up , Squirt , Bubble Up , and Canada Dry ; blue glass appears to be from milk of magnesia bottles. Their structural design and placement near the builder's home are strongly reminiscent of the gigli ("lillies") towers which feature in an annual festival to St. Paulinus in Nola , Italy, with which he was probably familiar. Rodia bent much of the Towers' framework from scrap rebar, using nearby railroad tracks as
12604-536: The idealized representation of a past devoid of social and racial tensions that it offered stood in sharp contrast with the political and social upheavals affecting California since the Free Speech Movement erupted at the University of California at Berkeley in 1964 . In the late 1960's a 10 ft. high brick wall with barbed wire embedded into the top was constructed around "Ghost Town" and for
12741-661: The inspirations of Walt Disney to create Audio-Animatronics . The Gun Shop (1946) was copied from a building in Angel's Camp, an old mining town in California's Mother Lode country. Typically mining towns, the early buildings were tents. These were followed by wooden buildings, and often followed by a disastrous fire that would sweep through the town. Following such fires, often fireproof structures would be built out of stone, brick or adobe. The Gun Shop represents such structures. It's iron doors could be closed to further protect it from fire, or if need be, from flying bullets. Inside
12878-465: The local community and surrounding cities. Partnerships with CalArts and Sony Pictures provide media arts and piano classes. The Day of the Drum and Jazz Festival occurs annually on the last weekend of every September. It includes arts and craft booths and live music. Watts Towers Crescent Greenway is a 0.2 mile rail with trail bike–pedestrian path next to the Towers. It is the shortest open rail-trail in
13015-669: The minuteman statue on display at Independence Hall. D. H. Morgan Manufacturing Watts Towers The Watts Towers , Towers of Simon Rodia , or Nuestro Pueblo ("our town" in Spanish ) are a collection of 17 interconnected sculptural towers, architectural structures, and individual sculptural features and mosaics within the site of the artist's original residential property in Watts, Los Angeles , California, United States. The entire site of towers, structures, sculptures, pavement and walls were designed and built solely by Sabato ("Simon" or "Sam") Rodia (1879 or 1886 to 1965), an Italian immigrant construction worker and tile mason, over
13152-426: The most popular rides at the park, the Timber Mountain Log Ride , would be closed for a significant five-month refurbishment, led by Garner Holt Productions, Inc. On May 25, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm added three new family rides on the site of the former Perilous Plunge, including a wild mouse called Coast Rider , a scrambler flat ride called Pacific Scrambler, and Surfside Gliders. All three were constructed in
13289-477: The north end of Camp Snoopy, near the Ferris wheel. Ghost Town is the original part of today's enclosed Knott's Berry Farm amusement park. It was built by Knott as his tribute to the pioneers, which included his own grandparents who came west on a wagon train, bringing with them their young daughter, who was Walter Knott's mother. Ghost Town includes most of the buildings he brought to the property or constructed in
13426-409: The north side of Main Street were benches on the boardwalk featuring photo opportunities with concrete figures of the grizzled prospectors Handsome Brady with Whiskey Jim (although the sign behind the bench called him Whisky Bill, a misprint) and the dancing girls Marilyn and Cecelia Hargrave, a very popular hand pump among the kids which recirculated water through a horse drinking trough, and Old Betsy
13563-418: The old ghost town of Calico, California in 1951, he put von Klieben in charge of restoring it. Little by little, Walt began building a ghost town in 1940, using buildings relocated from real old west towns such as Prescott, Arizona . Painted signs of Old Trails Hotel had a humorous scrawl of the letter 'G', as if to hastily change the name to Gold Trails Hotel. It was the first of many and re-built to house
13700-404: The park has seen an aggressive shift towards thrill rides , with the construction of several large roller coasters and the addition of a record-breaking Shoot-the-Chutes ride named Perilous Plunge . Perilous Plunge had the record of being the tallest and steepest water ride in the world until September 2012 when it was closed and removed. Also, in 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced that one of
13837-669: The park introduced Taste of Calico , an outdoor food festival on weekends located in the Ghost Town section of the park. The event evolved over the season, becoming Taste of Knott's when it expanded into Fiesta Village and the Boardwalk, Taste of Fall-o-ween during the fall season, and Taste of Merry Farm for the Christmas holiday season which was canceled in December 2020 due to the regional stay at home order issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom . Amusement Today recognized
13974-584: The park to Disney out of fear most of what Walter Knott had built would be eliminated. In the late 1990s, Cedar Fair also acquired the Buena Park Hotel, located at the northwest corner of Grand and Crescent Avenues. It was then brought up to Radisson standards and branded Radisson Resort Hotel as a franchise. In 2004, the park renamed the Radisson Resort Hotel the Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel. Since being acquired by Cedar Fair,
14111-447: The park was sold to Cedar Fair for $ 300 million. The park sits on the site of a former berry farm established by Walter Knott and his family. Beginning in 1923, the Knott family sold berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand along State Route 39 . In June 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property, later named "Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant." The dinners soon became
14248-437: The picnic grounds. Bud Hurlbut (Wendell "Bud" Hurlbut 1918-Jan. 5, 2011) of Hurlbut Amusement Company constructed Calico Mine Train which opened in 1960 on Walter Knott's property at a cost of $ 1.5 Million as a concession, and paid Walt a portion of ticket sales. When Walt visited Bud during construction he asked "Do you know what you are doing?" and even though he had invested every cent and more Bud replied "Yes." He told
14385-761: The popcorn cart, the same wagon stage featured Professor Mal-De-Mers, and a young Steve Martin on banjo between performances at the Bird Cage Theater. Cowboys confronted the Sheriff and his posse. They performed shootouts with flips and stunts, even a high fall. To wrap it up, fifteen minutes of comedy involved the Boot Hill Undertaker trying to remove the body from the Calico Square Wild West Show. The Knott's Berry Farm's Wild West Stunt show performances are scheduled at
14522-505: The popular photo-opportunity of a small saddle-tank steam locomotive and borax train beside the Blacksmith's shop. A real live blacksmith in a large leather apron would stoke the fire in the forge, then pound the red hot iron on an anvil to shape souvenir horseshoes . It still is a real working blacksmith, and much of the ironwork seen in the park was commissioned to be fabricated there. Guests can have implements made such as custom fireplace pokers and even branding irons . Walter re-built
14659-613: The projects he is known, or claimed, to have worked on are the UC Berkeley campus, the Eastern Star Home and the Bullocks Wilshire building. Rodia began constructing the Watts Towers in 1921. There has been some question as to what Rodia was called during his lifetime; some sources have cited that his birth name was "Sabatino" and it is disputed as to whether he was called "Simon" during his lifetime. It
14796-469: The revelry of music, singing and dancing, with Cameo Kate hosting a variety of acts. Jersey Lily, Judge Roy Bean's combination courthouse/saloon, offers certified comical "genuine illegal hitchin'" alongside pickles, candy, and sports/soft drinks. The park formerly featured a 5th area. Formerly known as Wild Water Wilderness, now part of Ghost Town, the area features two major rides: the Pony Express ,
14933-494: The rides are relatively tame. Knott's Berry Farm also built the Mall of America 's indoor theme park, which itself was originally called Camp Snoopy. (In fact, Charles M. Schulz hailed from St. Paul .) However, today the park is no longer affiliated with Knott's or Cedar Fair and is now called Nickelodeon Universe . On November 22, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced major improvements in the area of Camp Snoopy. Camp Snoopy received
15070-440: The same company as longtime rival Six Flags Magic Mountain . Cedar Fair still has controling shares of the company. The park's annual Knott's Scary Farm has drawn crowds since 1973. The idea for this event was presented at one of the regularly scheduled round table meetings for managers by Patricia Pawson. The actual event was created by Bill Hollingshead, Gary Salisbury, Martha Boyd and Gene Witham, along with other members of
15207-723: The site independently until 1975 when, for the purpose of guardianship, they partnered with the City of Los Angeles and then with the State of California in 1978. The Towers are operated by the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and curated by the Watts Towers Arts Center/Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center, which grew out of the Youth Arts Classes originally established in the house structure. In February 2011,
15344-671: The south of the Miners' Bank and in front of the Barrel House, has been replaced by a new version of the Haunted Shack. With the success of the free entertainment, another Western themed attraction was dug into a pit and terraced with concrete rockwork. Live performances of popular Country and Western bands and singers were featured, as guests gathered around a raging campfire, surrounded by a circle of Conestoga wagons , humorously painted with slogans such as "California, or bust" on
15481-423: The story later and added "…and I never lied to him again.". Bud lived in an apartment with a cot and refrigerator, hidden inside near the train storage tracks and repair shop; a short commute to an endless task. It incorporated many innovative designs, such as being the first attraction to incorporate a hidden switchback queue. When Walt Disney came to ride he was astonished enough to exclaim "You old S.O.B!" because
15618-653: The temporary home of the Mule Train, and, eventually, Independence Hall, the Picnic Grounds, the main parking lot which replaced Knotts Lagoon, Soak City and the final relocation of the Church of Reflections. Jungle Island, home of the Woodamels could be reached by presenting a "C" ticket from the Super Bonanza Book or purchasing a ticket from the booth at one end of a covered bridge for admission across
15755-842: The top and back offering a pleasantly changing vista. It is very sensitive to weather and passenger motion, such as walking, which is prohibited during the trip. During winds 25+ mph or rain it is closed. When built, the tower was the tallest structure in Orange County (a distinction briefly held by WindSeeker before its relocation to Worlds of Fun in 2012.) The Motorcycle Chase, a modernized steeplechase rollercoaster built in 1976 by Arrow Development , featured single motorbike-themed vehicles racing side-by-side, each on one of four parallel tracks, launched together. One or two riders straddled each " Indian motorcycle " attraction vehicle. The tubular steel monorail track closely followed dips and bumps in "the road" and tilted to lean riders about
15892-593: The top was built to support two attractions, the Sky Jump, operated from 1976 to 1999, and the Sky Cabin . The Sky Jump boarded one or two standing riders anticipating the thrill of the drop into baskets beneath a faux parachute canopy. From the top, twelve arms supported the vertical cable tracks of wire rope which lifted the baskets. The Sky Cabin ringed the support pole with a single floor of seats that are enclosed behind windows. Its ring revolves slowly as it rises to
16029-440: The towers. Two artist interviews, "Watts Towers Q&A with Dominique Moody" and "Q&A With Artist Alison Saar About Her Connection to Watts Towers," were produced in 2012 by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art as part of its Exhibitions on View series. The Simon Rodia Continuation High School in Watts is named for Simon Rodia. Jazz musician Charles Mingus mentioned Rodia's Towers in his 1971 autobiography Beneath
16166-422: The track and narration by the character Linus. Knott's has portrait artists, as well as face painters and caricature artists in two different locations in Camp Snoopy operated by Kaman's Art Shoppes. Portrait artists have a long history at Knott's, dating back to 1951. Claude Bell , who created the concrete characters on the benches at Knott's, operated the portrait concession from 1951 to 1986. Bell also sculpted
16303-408: The track), surrounded by the close-fitting car sides, and the dips and bumps of the track were straightened flat in 1980. Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers was removed in 1996 for a dueling loop coaster Windjammer Surf Racers and now Xcelerator , a vertical launch coaster, takes its place. On December 3, 1981, Walter Knott died, survived by his children who would continue to operate Knott's as
16440-534: The trail was obscured, it appeared to have a shorter wait than actual, which is now the industry standard. Bud was also the operator of the Knott's Lagoon attractions – the merry-go-round, the row-boat and peddle-boat rental, the Cordelia K. Steamboat side-wheel steam boat, and continued to construct superior amusement park steam locomotives and trains, like the Miniature Train circling Knott's Lagoon. He would continue to create world class attractions, such as
16577-496: The well-known concrete figures sitting on benches, such as those that were modeled after Calico Saloon singer Cecelia Peterson and dancer Marilyn Schuler. Bell operated the Artist Studio, from 1951 to 1986. It continues to this day, with Kaman's Art Stoppes operating the concession. Artists execute portraits of guests in pastel in about 20 minutes. They can also work from printed photographs. The portrait artists are now at
16714-487: The west end of Market Street was the featured building fronting Calico Square. A tiny stage was located above the West end of the balcony, later it was replaced by a wide formal stage, south behind the bar. It hosted a variety show inside with a piano player, a few vaudeville routines, and "Dakota Dan", "Calico Kate" and Marilyn and Cecilia Hargrave, sister dancing girls performing the Can-Can finale (and later immortalized as
16851-678: Was a friend of Walter Knott, and an enthusiastic supporter of Knott’s efforts to preserve the memory of the pioneers by creating Ghost Town, which began in 1940. As early as 1941, Speer wrote articles for Ghost Town News, which was the Knott’s Berry Farm newspaper. In 1956, twenty years after creating his museum, Speer (at age 72) donated his carefully catalogued collection of 30,000 items to Knott’s Berry Farm in return for Knott’s agreeing to house it, display it and retain Speer as curator. Speer continued in that position until he retired in 1969 at
16988-608: Was a live show augmented with Pepper's ghost and other special effects, which was among the most popular exhibits at Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia , Canada, which was produced by Bob Rogers of BRC Imagination Arts and created with the assistance of the Kwagulth Native reserve in the village of Alert Bay , British Columbia. Mystery Lodge recreates a quiet summer night in Alert Bay, then guests "move inside"
17125-428: Was a winner and rewarded one souvenir token. Couples could "Get Hitched" in a comedic mock matrimonial ceremony, conducted by "The Judge" barkeep and justice of the peace. The bent horseshoe nail 'wedding rings' were selected to fit the bride and groom from a pailfull. A painting of Lillie Langtry was purported to adorn the wall, which upon further examination turned out to be the unsinkable Molly Brown . This building
17262-447: Was about four years old). The idea of an amusement park picked up in the 1950s when Walter Knott opened a "summer-long county fair." Paul von Klieben was the key employee of Walter Knott in the creation of the Ghost Town at Knott's Berry Farm and the restoration of the ghost town of Calico, California . In 1941, he joined Knott's as a staff artist, then served as art director there from 1943 to 1953. He traveled to ghost towns in
17399-482: Was also served to guests dining in the small tea room. As Southern California developed, Highway 39 became the major north-south connection between Los Angeles County and the beaches of Orange County , and the restaurant's location was a popular stopping point for drivers making the two-hour trip in those days before freeways. Until Interstate 605 and State Route 57 were built in the late 1960s, Highway 39 (now known in Orange County as Beach Boulevard) continued to carry
17536-533: Was also used extensively in Knott's newspapers, menus, brochures, catalogs and other publications. In 1956, Walter Knott arranged with Marion Speer to bring his Western Trails Museum collection to Knott's Berry Farm. Speer had been an enthusiastic supporter of Walter Knott's efforts to create Ghost Town, and had written articles for Knott's newspaper, the Ghost Town News. In 1956, twenty years after creating his museum, Marion Speer (at age 72) donated
17673-437: Was an instant hit, and by the next year, the event sold out nightly. During this special ticketed event, the entire park (or major portions of it) re-themes itself into a "haunted house" style attraction in the form of mazes and "scare zones" in the evening. Over a thousand specially employed monsters are also scattered—often hidden out of view—throughout the park at this time. Some of the characters have become well-known, such as
17810-419: Was designed by Paul von Klieben to be typical of the architecture of Gold Rush Days. It was originally stocked with old-time merchandise as well. The Bottle House (1944 or early 1945) is similar to those in the ghost towns of Rhyolite, Nevada and Calico, California . Building materials were scarce, but empty liquor bottles were plentiful, so the result was a house made of bottles. The Music Hall (1945) housed
17947-510: Was feeding the ducks who lived there year-round. Knott's Lagoon was bulldozed and paved over to become the main parking lot when Camp Snoopy was built on the former North parking lot. Some ducks moved to other parks and lakes, but many ducks still live and gather in the Jungle Island Moat north of Independence Hall, and many local residents still stop by regularly to feed the ducks and coots . Frequent activities at what Knott called
18084-516: Was later moved west to Calico Square for construction of the Native Dancer performance stage of Indian Trails. Beach Boulevard intersected the property, but that did not halt development. A tunnel was built under the road for two way traffic, later converted to Eastbound motor traffic and pedestrian underpass. Developments on the East replaced the last orchards with Jungle Island, Knott's Lagoon,
18221-443: Was named because "Ghost Town" and "Calico" are two separate places. Walter Knott always referred to the Old West section of Knott's Berry Farm as "Ghost Town", not "Calico." Some parts of Ghost Town are forever lost to progress. The conversion of the Silver Dollar Saloon to a shooting gallery, Hunters Paradise shooting gallery to Panda Express and the original Berry Stand, moved several times with its last location now occupied by
18358-558: Was opposition from around the world. King, Cartwright, architects, artists, enthusiasts, academics, and community activists formed the Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers in Watts. The committee negotiated with the city to allow for an engineering test to establish the safety of the structures and avoid their demolition. Tests conducted October 10, 1959, found that the towers were capable of withstanding lateral forces of up to 10,000 pounds. The Committee for Simon Rodia's Towers preserved
18495-420: Was released from her contract by the park's new owners due to their wanting a more family-friendly appeal. She returned for one night in 2012 for the 40th anniversary of the event then again featured in her nightly show from 2014 to 2017. During October, Knott's Scary Farm generates half the revenue for Knott's Berry Farm's fiscal year. Season of Screams is a DVD produced by an independent company that traces
18632-571: Was renamed in 2020 from the Charles M. Schulz Theater to the Walter Knott Theater, as part of a refurbishment of the exterior for the park's 100th anniversary, which also included new LED signage to the theater's marquee. Camp Snoopy is home to the park's family and children's rides, with many of the rides and attractions being built specifically for children and guests who cannot ride the park's more aggressive attractions. Its theme
18769-525: Was to be sold at auction, and suggested he buy it. His agent in Kansas did not tell anyone who he was representing, but when he told them that it was to be preserved as a museum, the other bidders dropped out and let him have it for a couple hundred dollars. Knott had it dismantled, trucked to California and re-erected. These two structures, built out of old boxes and old barrels respectively (1953) were examples of miners building houses out of whatever materials were available. The Box House, which used to be to
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