Let's Talk Knott's

The Boys Are Back In Town

2010-05-07T08:11:00.000-07:00

Heading into Ghost Town the other day I was pleasantly surprised to see Handsome Brady & Whiskey Bill sitting in their rightful place on the side of the Gold Trails Hotel. The last time I saw these two was over a year ago when they sat on a bench near the exit of the Calico Railway Station.

They appear to be well rested and freshly touched up for a hopefully extended stay this time around! Too bad these two weren't out for Chris Merrit's book signing. This is "the" classic Knott's photo and it is wonderful to have an opportunity to capture it again. Anyone who doesn't have a photo with Handsome Brady & Whiskey Bill needs to get over to the farm and make that happen.

The plaque behind the bench is the one that used to be mounted in stone next to the Old Berry Stand when it sat beside the Candy Parlour.

Heading into Calico square I came accross these ladies sitting in front of the Calico Saloon. At first I hoped it was Marilyn and Cecilia but upon closer inspection it was most definitely not.

These two were quite popular (due to their prime location), I had to make a couple of passes by the area before they were available for a solo photo shoot.

Does anyone know the origins of these two? Were they made by Claude Bell? Are they flappers from the Roaring 20's? Anyone, anyone?

It's good to see some of the manequins on the streets of Ghost Town again. It helps to add a little of that old Knott's flavor to the proceedings and they seemed to be a hit with the general public as well. This is a step in the right direction and I hope that the efforts to revitalize Ghost Town continue.

Well that's all for today,

Take Care and Thanks for Readin'

Knott's 60th Anniversary

2010-04-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today's post is from a 20 page insert that was printed in the Los Angeles Times on July 27, 1980. Knott's was celebrating their 60th Anniversary that year which means that this year can be considered the 90th!

The cover shows the Stage Coach on it's trail lined with eucalyptus trees. I sure do miss those trees. The Corkscrew looks a bit out of scale in this photo. Is that the Roaring 20's back there or the Land of the Giants?

Here is a happy birthday from the mouse himself. Love the literary reference!

Just a couple of images for today, I will be posting more from this issue in the near future. There is plenty of good stuff inside including an article on Bud Hurlbut, a behind the scenes article on the performers of Ghost Town, and the announcement of the coming new attraction "Wacky Soapbox Racers"..

Take care and Thanks for readin'

-LTK

Then & Now (Part 2)

2010-04-17T14:06:00.000-07:00

Today's post features more Then & Now postcard comparisons.

First off is the Old Mill Stream seen here with running water from the early days of the farm.

And here is the same scene today. Hard to believe that this scene is only a generation away from being a century old. I wonder if it will make it to that milepost.

Here is an early postcard showing the Adobe Walls on Market Street

And here are those same Adobe Walls today

The wonderful Dreger Clock in it's old home in Cordelia's rose garden.

This same area today, sans clock. Fortunately the clock was rescued and can be seen once more just up Beach street from Knott's at the "Plaza Buena" http://www.dregerclock.org/

Gold Trails Hotel from the 1940's.

Gold Trails Hotel today. This completely rebulit building used to house the Covered Wagon Show diorama. After it's rebuild it became a dress shop. I say bring back the Covered Wagon Show and put the dresses in the general store.

Goldie's joint as seen from the Blacksmith's shop in the 1950's.

My attempt to get the same angle a couple of weeks ago. I believe that the shot above was taken from inside the Blacksmith's Shop through a doorway that is now closed.

"Gold Dust Goldie's Hotel" postcard from the 40's

Goldie's as she looks today. This building is a classic, who doesn't have memories of that leg kicking out the window as you went back to see Sad Eyed Joe. Now that I am older and understand what kind of a "Place" Goldie is runnin' I appreciate it even more.

The Gold Mine at the entrance to Ghost Town from the late 40's-ealry 50's

The same area today, pretty much unrecognizable excpet for the entrance to the Steak House.

Well that's gonna do it for today. I look forward to seeing everyone at the Farm tomorrow for Chris Merritt's Knott's Preserved event. Take care and Thanks for Readin'

Now & Then

2010-03-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

For today's post here are some then and now postcard shots that I took at the farm a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy!

The Chicken Dinner Restaurant today

The Chicken Dinner Restaurant in the 40's or early 50's

The spot where the Miner Statue once stood at the entrance to Ghost Town as it is today

And here is the Miner Statue that once stood at the entrance to Ghost Town in the early 60's

Here is the front of the General Store as it looks today.

And here is a General Store back in its heyday!

Here is the backside of the General Store & The Post Office peek-in as it appears today.

Here are the same buildings 60-70 years ago.

And finally the Calico Mine Train as seen from Calico Square today......

....and the Mine Train when it was new viewed from a spot slighty to the left (which is now blocked by a safety gate to protect you from yourself, I promise the train stays on the tracks)

While I imagine that anyone who reads this blog is well aware of it but, I still want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the upcoming Book Signing and Knott's History event that is taking place Saturday April 18th at the farm for the release of Chris Merritt's upcoming book "Knott's Preserved". I certainly plan to attend (though I still have not received my confirmation) and suggest you do to as this is certain to be a fun and informative time.

For more info here are links to both the "Knott's Preserved Blog" and the official Knott's website.

http://www.knottspreserved.com/Site/Blog/Blog.html

http://www.knotts.com/public/visit/schedule/events.cfm

http://www.knotts.com/_upload/KnottsEventFlyer.pdf

Well that is gonna do it for today. I have a few more of these Then & Now shots to post if anyone is interested.

Take Care and Thanks for Readin'

I miss the Volcano

2010-03-09T09:27:00.000-08:00

Today's post features the Volcano that used to be on the backside of the Gold Mine neslted in the back of the Marketplace. This was one of my favorite things to see at Knott's and it was on the free side of the fence so I was able to see it quite regularly. This is also one of my favorite postcards in my collection. The only thing missing in this picture is the little devil winding his crank that ultimatley lead to the volcanic eruption. He is just off to the right of this view. Unfortunately I do not have a picture of him but you can see him at this link from the OC Archives collection on Flikr. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3402984782_77d7c79657.jpg

Here is the Volcano in it's original location next to the dining room of the Chicken Dinner restaraunt. The Volcano was originally conceived to cover an unsightly stand pipe from the farm's irrigation system.

Here is an enhanced color post card showing the volcano in it's second and final location behind the Gold Mine. The background has been cropped and replaced with a solid dark blue which I assume is meant to resemble a night sky. I always got a kick out of the look on that cowboy's face. He seemed just as perplexed as I was as to what a Volcano was doing there in the middle of the old west.

And finally here is a picture of the volcano from an old farm guide book that shows the volcano from a different angle. I am not sure if this is in the first or second location. I kind of think that this might be the backside of the volcano before the wall of the gold mine was built behind it. I don't know for sure and would love to hear from anyone that does.

Sadly the volcano is one of the many casualties of progress at the farm. It was removed along with the Gold Mine in the mid 90's to make room for the construction of the Ghost Rider.

Now that the Ghost rider has been built the area that used to be home to the volcano is a big empty concrete circle. I wish they would have put this back after completing the queue for the Ghost Rider. This was a classic Knott's attraction and I miss it very much.

Well that's all for today. Take care and Thanks for readin'

Kodachrome Prints of Ghost Town

2010-03-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

Today's post features a little booklet of Kodachrome prints that looks to be from the early 60's or possibly late 50's, not sure. Measuring approx 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" these little pictures are the perfect size for a blog post. The cover has a die cut oval in the center that reveals part of the first page beneath it. There are brief narratives on the back of each picture that describe the photos from a visitor's perspective. so without further adieu, here it is in it's entirety.

"Much to our surprise, we found a real Post Office in Ghost Town."

"Each early California minig town had its General Merchandise store. Ghost Town is no exception. Here we found everything from horse liniment to peppermint stick candy. Even today, there were old-timers playing a game of checkers on the cracker barrel."

"Probably the most unusual thing we did while visiting Knott's Berry Farm was to take a ride on the Stage Coach. This old coach at one time saw service on the Butterfield Stage Line. It was really a thrill to get up on this old coach and ride around the farm."

"Visting this old school took me back many a year. It reminded me of the days long ago when I first attended school. You know the first school I went to looked something like this one."

"Here is a trip you would like. You board the train in Calico Square and are whicked out across Ghost Town Boot Hill Diggin's. They say there is a surprise in store for the passengers on each trip around the farm. I am sure this is so, because before we arrived back in Ghost Town, we were held up by train robbers. Wish you had been here."

"We ventured down a tunnel and eventually came out down in canyon. Here an old-timer showed us how to pan for real gold. This was quite an experience. I slushed the pan back and forth for about three minutes until all the gravel was out of the pan. Much to my surprise, in the bottom of the pan, there were distinct traces of gold. The old-timer placed the gold in a little bottle and I am bringing it home for proof."

"This Chapel is one of the most beautiful settings I have ever seen, so peaceful and serene."

"Picking those luscious boysenberries."

"Out in the parking lot, we found that there were acres and acres of shade trees. It was such a relief to drive our car in under one of the big trees and just rest for a while. Will be seeing you soon."

And here is the back cover. Apparently you were supposed to mail this little book like you would a post card. I guess the post office used to be more gentle with the mail because something like this would not make it through undamaged today. Well I hope that you enjoyed this little book and the brief tour of Knott's a half century ago.

That's all for today. Take Care and Thanks for Readin'

Buena Park Aerial Postcards

2010-02-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

Today's post features a mid 90's aerial view of the farm looking Southwest from Beach & La Palma. It looks like the Jaguar Roller Coaster that took the place of large portion of Fiesta Village is still under construction. Still this card shows a farm that still had a Candy Parlour, Reflection Lake, Mystery Shack, Gold Mine, Volcano, Church, Little Chapel, & Boothill & Wagon Camp without Roller Coaster tracks running through them.

And finally here is another shot from a few years earlier looking north. This was before the Boardwalk makeover removed the roaring 20's airfield theme from the area behind the Log Ride & Mine Train.

Well that's it for today.

Take Care and Thnaks for Readin'

Prospector's Day

2010-01-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

Today is the 162nd anniversary of the discovery of Gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. In honor of this historic event I am posting this fold over post card with artwork by Paul Von Klieben that was once sold at the Gold Mine in Ghost Town (Above). The artwork is dated 1948 and the card celebrates the Centennial of the Discovery of Gold in1949.

The discovery of gold signifies the beginning of California’s most momentous epoch. It took place at Sutter’s Mill on the American River, January 24th, 1848, but no news of it reached San Francisco until February 1848. Then followed a furore such as the world has never seen. Hearts in the remotest corners of the earth beat with excitement. James W. Marshall, while erecting a sawmill for John A. Sutter, had found the first piece of yellow metal in the millrace at Coloma, 50 miles east of Sacramento. Thousands came to find sudden riches, carrying no more than pick and shovel, exchanging their rifle for a gold pan. The tales told by these treasure hunters are as stories from Never-Never Land. Every man could make a hundred dollars a day; the lucky ones from fifty to a thousand. In less than a year California’s population doubled. With pan and sluice box alone many millions of dollars had been taken from the Placers. Still the people poured into “God’s Country”. Thus the present Highway 49, named after the 49’ers became crowded with mining towns along the rivers and valleys called the Mother Lode. It stretches from Mariposa to Placerville. Tell your friends to these fascinating towns and help celebrate the days of old.

And for good measure here is the back of the postcard which shows that it only cost 3 pennies to send back in '49.

Also make sure to stop by Chris Jepsens' blog to celebrate Prospector's day by talking like a Grizzled Prospector. http://ochistorical.blogspot.com/2010/01/talk-like-grizzled-prospector-day-jan.html

Well Happy Prospector's Day to all!

Take Care, and Thanks for Readin'

Happy Birthday Cordelia

2010-01-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

This Saturday Jan the 23rd is Cordelia Knott's 120th birthday so I thought a post was in order to acknowledge the woman whose chicken dinners made ghost town possible. Happy Birthday Cordelia!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T00:52:00.000-08:00

------------------------------------

Today, Let’s Talk Mott’s, Mott’s Miniatures that is. Formerly housed in Jeffries Barn at Knott’s Berry Farm the Mott’s Miniatures collection/exhibit was a truly extraordinary experience. The exhibit consisted largely of dollhouse size displays themed around the history of American commerce and home life. These displays featured exquisite miniatures many of them antique and many of them made by the various members of the Mott family. Today’s post features a display from Santa’s kitchen, the photos and accompanying text are from a 1998 auction catalog.

“The preferred status of Christmas among all other holidays for the Mott family is patently evident in the intricately detailed Mrs. Santa’s Kitchen. Their extensive collection of Christmas miniatures originated with Allegra’s mother, who had earnestly collected Christmas ornaments throughout the years. Considering the fact that this piece was made during the years of 1975 and 1976, one can appreciate the time and effort spent collecting the fine Christmas treasures that comprise this marvelous exhibit. Represented here is a true combination of the old and the new. The kitchen that opens up through a beautiful stained glass door contains many antique pieces, including real enamelware plates, dishes, utensils, furnishings and the arcade doll house ice box which is made of iron. Also included here is an unbelievably small toy train set that really works, as well as a holly decorated porcelain clock, also fully functional. The apparently red brick oven, full of Christmas treats, was hand carved by Barbara Mott and is actually made of solid pine. It was made to look like brick by a method of using four coats of paint of different colors with the addition of sawdust and talcum powder to the last coat, adding the texturized look. Barbara also designed the miniature houses on the shelves above, as well as the cookies and dough. Santa’s busy elves were hand sculpted and made by Cynthia Baron. The mistletoe and Christmas wreath were created by the Mott’s great grandmother from shells and seed pearls. Wax miniaturist, Helen Cook, made most of the candies, while the tiny strings of tree lights were fashioned by Mr. Wilson.”

That’s all for today, Thanks for Readin’

Have a Merry Christmas!

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Toy Shop

2009-12-15T16:47:00.000-08:00

Today we are heading over to the Ghost Town Toy Shop Peek-In, but first I need to give an update to my previous post. It looks like Ghost town has dodged another bullet as plans to move Demon Drop in Behind Boothill have been cancelled. Great news and a wise decision on the part of Cedar Fair. http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/2009/12/02/demon-drop-wont-join-knotts-lineup-after-all/26729/

Now that we have that out of the way let's head over to the Toy Shop in Ghost Town. The Toy Shop is a small peekin between the current Gun Shop and the Boothill Undertaker over in the back corner of Ghost Town near the BirdCage Theatre. Nothing really special about it but it is of course a welcome part of the peek-in family plus it made for a quick post.

Here is a peek inside. This mannequin looks more J.C. Penny than Claude Bell.

That's all for today. Take Care and Thanks for Readin'

Charleston Square

2009-12-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if it is still considered Charleston Square or not but today’s post features the area that leads from ghost town into what was the old Roaring 20’s section.

After learning of Cedar Fair’s plan to relocate an existing freefall ride to the former spot of the haunted shack (see BerryTales.net for more info on that) I decided to get some photographs of this area as I suspect it will be in danger once the Bulldozer is fired up.

A closer look at the fountain

The old Roaring 20's sign on the roof of the former Knott's Beary Tales Building.

Looking back toward Calico Square

The Screamin Swing on the former site of the Hanunted Shack

To the right of the Screamin Swing is this fire station mural. It is actaully the stage door for the Good Time Theatre.

I believe this firetruck used to be parked on the side of the Haunted Shack where the fire station mural is now. It now operates shamefully as the 10 buck firetruck.

The ride that is coming to Knott's is called “Demon Drop” and is identical to a ride that was at Magic Mountain for 20+ years called “Freefall”. It is a tower drop ride that takes you up 10 stories and drops you down a track that curves at the bottom extending out several hundred feet from the tower to allow the ride vehicle to come to stop.

I do not know for certain that this area and most notably the beautiful fountain that is the centerpiece are in danger but by judging from the aerial photo below it seems that either this area or the area between Calico Square and the Mine Train will soon have the runway ramp from the newly installed “Demon Drop” running through it.

Not only will the tower be yet another steel eyesore on the skyline of ghost town but the shear size of it will certainly affect the sense of scale in that area making it seem even smaller and more a part of the outside world than it already does now. Add to that the fact that the runway ramp on this thing is going to have to go somewhere (either Calico Square or Charleston Square) and it seems destined to do some damage.

As a final note I noticed that the horse drawn hearses that used to sit across from the current location of Roy Bean’s Saloon have gone missing. I noticed this right before haunt started but did not get a picture until now.

Here is a shot of the Hearse’s before their removal. The larger hearse had an animatronic “stiff” that would raise it’s head periodically in an attempt to startle onlookers expecting the passenger to be “dead”. Just one of the good old fashioned Knott’s Berry Farm tricks that reminded me of the old days. Hopefully they are being refurbished, but I somehow doubt it.

These horse drawn hearses had been at the farm as long as I can remember. The smaller white one was for a child (kind of morbid, but classic)

I hoped that they were going to be given a more prominent location for the haunt but after looking around for a couple of months I have not been able to locate them.

That's all for today! Thanks for Readin'

Happy Halloween

2009-10-30T08:21:00.001-07:00

Today's post features this wonderful Paul Von Klieben painting of the Hangman's Tree from an eraly postcard. The back of the postcard reads:

"Spooky Isn't It?"

"We don't intend to frighten you with this card. It is merely a strange leaf out of California's history during the Gold Rush of '49, as portrayed in the famous Ghost Town here at Beautiful Knott's Berry Place. If you look at this card in a certain way, then perhpas you will see.................

The ghost of this here Ghost Town

If you turn the card upside down and look between the fork in the tree trunk you will see the image of the ghost. A neat little trick that makes for a neat Halloween treat.

That's all for now.

Take care and thanks for readin'

2009-09-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

Today's post features a postcard that I won recently on E-bay. It is a Buena Park post card that features our favorite farm but from an interesting angle focusing more on the Independence Hall side of the street with the farm itself in the background. This must be sometime in the early 90's, Boomerang is visible which means that the Corkscrew is already gone. Ghost Rider has yet to stomp it's foot down in the marketplace and it doesn't look like Jagaur has invaded Fiesta Village yet.

Zooming in we can see the clearing where Jungle Island used to be across the lagoon behind Indepence Hall.

I was surprised to see this barn in the photo. I am pretty sure this was the building for Henry's Auto Livery. I am also pretty sure that it is no longer there.

Thanks for Readin'

Farm Report Aug 29th, 2009

2009-09-02T19:43:00.001-07:00

It was a capacity crowd for Jay Jennings’ book signing this past Saturday. I had the pleasure of meeting him and having him sign my book. It was an excellent turn-out and apparently all of the books sold out. Good to see that there is a strong market for the good ole’ days of Knott’s Berry Farm. Hopefully Cedar Fair took note. See Jay’s website for a recap of the event. http://knottsberryfarm.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-signing-at-knotts.html

Since I was at the farm I ventured into Ghost Town for a few pictures. I thought that Ghost Town was looking pretty good. There have been some more details added/replaced in the peek-ins since my last visit. Other repairs and details added around town showed what I interpreted as a sincere effort to keep things in good shape. Granted much of it is probably in anticipation of the coming Halloween Haunt, as the photos below will show, but it is still nice to see things looking good.

This guy is hanging around waiting for October to come.

One of the details that has been replaced/added in Ghost Town. is this reproduction of the Hangman's Tree sign. I haven't done a side by side comparison but I think it looks pretty true to the original.

Despite the recession Hop Wing Lee seems to be doing well. The laundry hangin above his store being evidence. There was no laundry hanging as of my last visit so this was another added detail that I noted.

It looks like they have put the original Silver Dollar sign back on the Saloon, oops I mean Shootin Gallery : (

This sign now hangs above the Silver Dollar. They are trying.....right?

The little house was all closed up this time.

Off in the corner is the Boothill undertaker. I love the Pepper's Ghost effect inside (when it is working).

Last stop for today the Birdcage Theatre. Note the ghost on the roof holding a birdcage.

Hello Again!

2009-08-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

It has been a crazy summer! I intend on resuming a somewhat regular posting schedule very soon. Now that I have a scanner I can dig into my post card collection for Blog topics! Yay! For today we'll start with this wonderful Paul Von Klieben post card of main street.

I am heading out to the farm Saturday for Jay Jennings book signing. I am looking very forward to it and hope to meet some fellow Knott's enthusiasts! Here is a link to Jay's site with info about the book and the signing. http://knottsberryfarm.blogspot.com/

That's all for now. Will post again soon!

Take care and Thanks for Readin'

Farm Report - Father's Day 2009

2009-06-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

I went out to the farm for father’s day last weekend and decided that an updated post was in order. They have restored some more details on the peek-ins since my last visit. The Barber shop now has a pole and lettering on the window and more artifacts have been returned to the interior of the Silver Dollar Saloon (Oops! I mean shooting gallery).

Due to the graciousness of the lady working in the little weaver’s cottage I was able to get some interior shots of the little house featured in my last post. They are not the best photos but I felt they were worth posting.

A blurry shot looking in the door from the front porch

The kitchen sink

The Old Stove

It appears that this little end of the house is actually the kitchen which leads me to believe that the gun shop behind it is also part of the original house. After I have all of my facts and photos assembled I will make a full post on this charming little building which is currently my favorite

little corner of ghost town.

The Maintenance door to the Log Ride. I thought it looked photogenic that day.

Calico Mine Co. Engine #4

And finally what I think is a pretty neat picture of the Cavern Room of the Mine Train. It is so hard to get photos inside this ride that I was quite happy to get this one.

Well that's all for now, Take care and Thanks for Readin'

Little Old House

2009-05-27T14:24:00.001-07:00

I’d like to share a discovery I made while researching Knott’s history. There is a little old house in a back corner of Ghost Town (Behind Goldie’s place and across from the Birdcage Theatre) that I believe is the Candle Maker's Shop referenced in the following excerpt from the “Ghost Town History & Reference”

“THE WEAVER’S AND CANDLE MAKER’S SHOPS Moved here in 1953
When we moved here in 1920, this was an old house on a neighboring farm. We don’t know when it was built. We added an additional room onto the weaver’s side in 1955. Mr. and Mrs. Knott went to their first party in this old house after settling here.”

1950's map showing location of what was then "The Candle Maker's Cottage". The Weaver's Cottage is now the gun store. The little old house sits quietly beside it.

Chances are that the house was not new even back in 1920 when the Knott’s first settled in Buena Park which means that it is probably well past the century old mark. This little building fascinates me as it is not only a piece of old west history, but also a piece of Walter & Cordelia’s personal history as well.

The little house is easily overlooked as it is tucked back behind some of the more popular ghost town attractions. The history behind it is even less obvious. I have found that it is often closed but there have been a couple of times when the front door was open and I even saw a lady sitting on the front porch last summer making lace. Unfortunately I have not yet had the opportunity to get interior photos. I am not sure if the general public is allowed inside this structure but I am going to do my best to get some pics of the inside as soon as I possibly can.

If anyone knows anything else about this little house I’d love to learn more about it.

That’s all for today!

Take care, and Thanks for Readin’

“Hello Main Street”

2009-05-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

This is a follow up post to “Goodbye Main street”. The construction walls on Main Street have come down and the peek-ins are back up and to be honest they look pretty darn good. This was much more than I was expecting. The peekins look fresh and inviting and I noticed they were drawing quite a lot of attention on Saturday when I was out at the farm. BearyTales.net http://bear-ytales.net/ has posted a full update on the return of the peek-ins that includes a short video that is definitely worth checking out if you haven’t seen it.

"Assay Office"

First off the Assay Office looks great. They put the original figures back in and used many of the original set pieces. They have restored the animation and now the Assayer’s scale rocks back forth as he assesses the ore samples. It is good to see the awning back on the front of this building. It is also nice to be able to see in the side window now since they relocated the sign painter that was butted up against that side wall. For some reason this building looks to be a little wider or shorter than it was previously, perhaps the awning skews the proportions. Still overall this building looks fantastic.

"Hop Wing Lee’s Laundry"

Another stellar job. Hop Wing Lee looks rested and refreshed. He is back at work and thanks to the restored animation is actually pressing clothes again. Nice to see the Laundry hanging on the line above. I am so happy that they put the original door back in. Who doesn’t remember peeking through that little round hole when they were little?

"Barber Shop"

The Barber Shop looks pretty good but it appears that either time or money ran short as there are some important details missing. First off there is no lettering on the windows. Also the barber’s pole is no longer on the outside of the building. Lastly the wanted poster inside could have been done better, it needs to look like the guy in the chair or the humor is lost. Actually maybe the guy in the chair is to blame, either way they need to match. Still the overall appearance is an improvement. Maybe they just haven’t had a chance to finish the details. Let’s hope!

"Silver Dollar Saloon"

I don't think anyone expected the Saloon to return to it’s former role and unfortunately the results live up to the expectations. This is the only let down in the whole bunch. The ugly green target board has returned, the raccoon on a stump has also returned to add an air of realism to the proceedings. The exterior lines of the saloon we’re retained but it is now an unfinished shell for the shooting gallery. The decorative steel grille is all that is left from the old Saloon. I am also hoping that they are not done with the details here as well but I fear that they are.

Deadwood Dick’s grave

D.D.’s grave is still there but the grave markers have been redone. Unfortunately they, like some of the grave markers in Boothill, do not look very authentic. I forget where but I read that back when Ghost Town was originally built they made the signs look weathered by painting the letters on and then sandblasting the wood to give it that aged look. The painted letters would stay raised up while the wood on the background was worn down. I wish that they would give that a try these days.

Overall I think that Cedar Fair has done a very good job rebuilding this part of Main Street. I hope that as much care goes into the next part of ghost town that gets "refurbished".

That's all for now. Take care and Thanks for Readin'

Main Street Update

2009-04-15T10:01:00.001-07:00

I finally made it out to the farm Tuesday evening so I wanted to post an update on the progress of the peek-ins. The walls are still up, but they look to be about ½ way done rebuilding at this point. They have completely rebuilt the framing with new lumber and have begun the work on

the facades.

It looks like the original windows are going back into Hop wing Lee’s laundry and it also looks like they are using the original door and window for the Assay Office. The Barber Shop is still just a frame at this point but hopefully they will follow suit and use the original trim pieces as well.

It appears the Silver Dollar Saloon will be returning as a shooting gallery judging by the design of the framing. You can see the decorative steel grille that used to be above the bar in the background. I wonder if this will be a shooting gallery with the old Saloon as the theming. Hopefully they won't put the green targets back in that made it look like a game from "The Price is Right"

It looks like they are doing a good job and trying to recreate things accurately. Time will tell if the interiors are done with as much care. I was happy to see that they retained and will be reusing parts of the original peek-ins. I am anxious to see the finished product.

Barrel House

2009-04-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

Many people know of the "Bottle House" at Knott's which is an example of how creativity was used to build shelter when conventional materials were hard to come by. There is another example of this creative building approach near the mine head in front of Boothill. The "Barrel House" walls are made from, you guessed it, barrels. This structure is a Knott's original (not refurbished) and one of the sights I make a point to see when I visit the park. There used to be another house made from creative materials (freight boxes) right next door to the barrel house but unfortunately it was removed to make room for the relocated gold panning attraction.

The prospector realxes inside his Barrel House

The Barrel House is located just behind the "Lucky Cuss" mine head and in front of the graveyard at Boothill over on School Road. You have probably heard the warning to beware of "hitchhiking ghosts" but what about jogging ghosts?

That's it for today. I am planning to head to the farm tomorrow (weather permitting) and hope to have an update on the Main Street peek-ins posted by the end of the weekend.

Take care for now, and Thanks for Readin'

Old Redwood Tree

2009-03-20T10:02:00.001-07:00

For today’s post we have a then & now shot from the Marketplace. What a wonderful place the Marketplace once was. It was full of wonderfully fun things to see! Sadly most of the features that made it so special are now long gone. One of those special features was the old “Redwood Tree” stump that used to sit behind Virginia’s gift shop. It was from this very piece of tree that I learned about counting the rings to find out a trees age. I remember trying to count those rings and never being able to make it all the way through without losing track. These are the simple pleasures that make the memories of a lifetime.

The sign reads “This cross section is from a coast redwood. It was over 780 years old, over 13 feet through and nearly 300 feet high. It had its first birthday in 1161.”

This same area today. In this space now resides a phone booth, which in it's defense is fast becoming a relic of the past that may one day be marveled.

I am not sure when the Redwood Tree was removed but I know it has been gone for quite some time. Does anyone know approximately when it was removed?

So long for now! Take care and Thanks for Readin'

Old Miner Statue

2009-03-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

Well the official word is that the peek-ins will be back. Let’s hope that they stay true to their original form. They are rumored to be back this month so I will try to make it out to the farm for updates on the progress. In the meantime we will resume our regularly scheduled programming.
Today’s post features the miner statue that used to be atop the fountain over by the goldmine at the entrance to ghost town. Following an internet tip I headed out to Cabazon California off of Interstate 10 on the way to Palm Springs. The statue stands in front of the Wheel Inn Café which can be found directly in front of Claude Bell's dinosaurs.

“The Cabazon dinosaurs were started in the 1960s by Knott's Berry Farm sculptor and portrait artist Claude K. Bell (1897-1988) to attract customers to his Wheel Inn Cafe which opened in 1958.”
-excerpt from Wikipedia-

Although I cannot confirm that this is the exact statue that used to reside at the farm I can say that if it is not the original it is an exact replica as can be seen in the photos below. The only difference I see is the paint color. Can anyone can confirm its authenticity? Does anyone know how long it has been there? I am pretty sure that I still saw it at the farm back in the mid 90’s. Perhaps there was more than one. It’s topics like these that inspired me to start this blog. I look forward to learning and sharing more.

Take care and Thanks for readin’

Miner Statue in front of the Wheel Inn Cafe in Cabazon

Again from a different angle

What I believe is the same statue at it's original home at Knott's Berry Farm (photo is from Davelandweb.com I believe)

And for fun a shot of one of Claude Bell's Dinosaurs.

The way things were

2009-02-25T09:57:00.000-08:00

I thought I’d post some pics of how the south side of Main Street looked shortly before the recent travesty. Here are some pictures I took back in November '08 that show the peek-ins and Saloon. I cannot believe that they tore these down. I am so glad that I decided to revisit the park this past year and take a lot of photos of what is/was left. I really believed that if anything was safe it was the remaining buildings on Main Street. Now I know that nothing is sacred. So very sad, I don’t think they even realize what they have done. Those simple peek-ins were not only a part of Southern California history, they were a part of theme park history and a time capsule of a simpler time when people were entertained by displays such as these. My grandparents were entertained by these displays and shared them with my parents who in turn shared them me and I barely got the chance to share them with my children. Four generations of memories leveled.

Assay Office & Deadwood Dick's Grave

Panning right to Hop Wing Lee's Laundry and the Barber Shop

Looking down Main Street at the Silve Dollar Saloon

Goodbye Main Street!

2009-02-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

I went over to the farm today to see the damage for myself. The entire south side of Main Street up to the Grill has been leveled. It looks like Deadwood Dick's grave is the only survivor. The Grill is currently still standing and looked to be open. And now for the photographic evidence.

Construction wall as seen from the entrance

Construction wall looking back up Main Street.

Peeking over the wall, looking East. You can see Deadwood Dick's grave in the upper left.

Panning to the right

A little more to the right.

Full Right, That is the back wall of the Ghost Town Grill on the right hand side.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2008-12-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

Here is a marvelous picture that I found on my most recent internet search for Knott's photos. Good old Saint Nick taking a ride on the Log Ride. I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

"Photo courtesy Orange County Archives."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ocarchives/3096573222, this is a fantastic collection of photos. They have inherited some wonderful historic Knott's stuff from Cedar Fair. I have spent many hours enjoying these photos and would recommend them to anyone that is interested in So Cal history. Thanks and Happy Holidays to the crew at the OC archives!

Take care and Thanks for Readin'

Glass Blower - Then and Now

2008-12-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

A quick Then and Now post on the Glass Blower's shop.

The Glass Blower’s shop from the mid 50’s I believe.

The same building today is now an extension of the general store. As you can see it is still easily identifiable with the only real change being the signage that now adorns the façade.

Here is a shot of the current location of the glass blower in the old “Grist Mill”.

I will feature a Then and Now of the former Grist Mill and new home of the Glass Blower in my next post.

Take care for now, Thanks for readin'

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T20:24:00.002-08:00

*

Here is a shot from a 1970's era Souvenir Guide of the "Family Dinner" display that I believe used to be in the building pictured below which is behind the Miner's Bank and the Candy Store on School Road. There is a dentist display in this building now.

Have a happy holiday, Thanks for Readin'

“Assay Office” Peek-In

2008-11-17T15:19:00.001-08:00

This somewhat less popular neighbor to the east of Hop Wing Lee’s Laundry still exists in what looks to be original form. It is weathered but authentic. In the foreground is Deadwood Dicks Grave also a Ghost Town original. There was once an active gold mine just across the way from this Assay Office. It has gone dry and been sealed up and now they are pulling gold out of the stream over behind boothill. This little office probably doesn’t see near the business it used to but you can still see it if you make a trip out to the farm.

“The assay office was an important and necessary part of every early-day mining camp. Here the ore was sampled and assayed, and fortunes were made or lost on the results of these assays. You understand of course that the assayer determines the amount of gold in a single representative ounce of the sample brought him and then gives the miner and assayer’s certificate which shows him how much gold per ton would be in the same kind of rock. From this the miner determines whether the mine would be profitable to work or not.”

- Pg. 13 - Ghost Town History & Reference –

http://vintagedisneylandtickets.blogspot.com/ has a great Knott’s before and after feature today, and more to come judging from the “Part 1” in the title.

"Inside the Assay office a prospector waits while his ore is Assayed."

"A close-up of the Assayer's equipmet"

Thanks for Readin'

Main St. Windmill...........Missing!

2008-11-10T13:29:00.001-08:00

A quick post to address the fact that the windmill is missing at the end of Main Street. I am prety sure it was still there the last time I visited the park on Oct. 19th. It was most certainly gone (at least the top of it was) when I visited yesterday 11/09. Perhaps this is the next piece of ghost town to be refurbished.

"This old windmill was brought to Riverside from England by an English syndicate that laid out and subdivided Riverside in the 1860's. When we started Ghost Town we bought the old windmill and put it at the end of Main St., which at that time we thought was as far as the town was going."

-Ghost Town History and Reference-

New Jail in Ghost Town

2008-11-05T15:21:00.000-08:00

This weeks post features the newly rebuilt Jail behind Goldie’s place on Main Street. The old jail was completely torn down and a new one was rebuilt in it’s place. The original Jail was still there on Father’s day of this year but when I went back by there two months later on 8/21/08 the new jail was standing in it’s place. That’s how fast these things happen. Not only has the jail been rebuilt but I am pretty sure that the guy inside is not the same “Sad Eyed Joe” that was in the original. They have also removed Sad Eyed Joe’s Fanmail (see photo) and it does not look like they plan to replace it. It’s a shame because it was little details like these that gave ghost town so much charm. I will miss this as much as the ghost Town Bulletin board that used to be over by the Miner’s Bank. Also gone is the staircase that used to be attached to the side of Goldie’s Joint.

One part of me is certainly glad that they rebuilt the Jail instead of just removing it altogether but the nostalgic part of me laments another piece of ghost town being replaced with a replica.

The old jail the last time I saw it on Father’s day 2008. As this photo shows it was slipping into a state of disrepair.

The new Jail decorated for Halloween.

Sad Eyed Joe’s Fanmail

A view looking from the jail back out to Main Street showing the staircase that was removed from the side of Goldie’s Joint.

Take care for now. Thanks for Readin’

Miner’s Bank

2008-10-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Today’s post features the “Miner’s Bank” on School Road next to the Boothill graveyard. This building still exists on the farm although the interior has been reworked and it now doubles as a gift shop and the entrance to the newer much smaller “Panning for Gold” attraction. Although some of the details on the second floor and all of the attached structures have been removed the core of this building remains intact.

“The Miner’s Bank is a replica of man an early day bank. This was a bank downstairs, and the E. Clampus Vitas Lodge hall was upstairs. We thought the old building with the burned-out lodge hall was so typical of the ruins in so many ghost towns that when we built the bank we built the burned-out lodge hall above it”
-Ghost Town History and Reference-

Information on the The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus can be found here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Clampus_Vitus

The Miner's Bank circa 1950's

The Miner's Bank April 2008.

Behind the Bank 2008

E Clampus Vitus Sign

I'll feature the Bank's interior in a future post. Take care for now!

Thanks for Readin’

The water is back on at Boothill

2008-10-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

I was away from the computer for a week so here is a quick post to make up for lost time. Not sure when it happened but the water in the ravine behind boothill has finally been turned back on. Yay! Now if only they would put the mountain range back in and plant a couple of trees.

These pictures were taken last Sunday October 19th, 2008

This guy had been panning a dry riverbed for quite some time.
Good to see the old water wheel turning again.

A short one for today but I will be posting again soon!

Thanks for Readin'

Calico Ghost Town

2008-10-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Today we are going to venture off the farm while still remaining on topic. Off we go to Calico Ghost Town in Yermo, Ca. If you appreciate the ghost town at Knott’s then Calico Ghost Town is a must see. This past weekend was “Calico Days” and I have some photos and Knott’s references to share from my visit on Saturday.

“Calico was founded in 1881 as a silver mining town. At its height, Calico boasted a population of 1,200 people, and over 500 silver mines. During the mid 1890s the price of silver dropped and Calico's silver mines were no longer economically viable. With the end of borax mining in the region in 1907 the town became completely abandoned. In 1951, Walter Knott, purchased the town and began restoring it to its original condition referencing old photographs and recreating replicas of many of the original buildings on their preexisting foundations. In 1966, Walter Knott donated the re-built town to San Bernardino County.”

There are many similarities between Calico and the Ghost Town at KBF. Calico has peek ins, a bottle house, a mystery shack (similar to the Haunted Shack that was once at KBF), and a host of other old west buildings that are outfitted in the same manner as the original attractions at the Berry Farm.

”Dedication Plaque, Signed by our favorite farmer”

“Calico’s Bottle House, Built around the same time as the one at Knott’s Berry Farm”

“Calico’s Peek Ins, Very reminiscent of the Peek Ins at KBF. I did not get good interior photos but see below for a shot from inside the Maggie Mine office that shows the Walter Knott touch that these displays feature”

“A familiar statue of a prospector with his mule”

“Walter and Cordelia beside the Calico dedication plaque”

I hope you have enjoyed the brief tour of Calico. I plan to feature more of Calico in upcoming posts. Next week we will return to the farm to feature some of the original structures that can still be seen there.

Take care for now, and Thanks for Readin’

Ghost Town Aerial View Postcard

2008-10-08T15:59:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to have any discussion about Knott’s Berry Farm that doesn’t lead to the topic of what’s gone and what’s left. For my first post I want to feature a Post Card that I purchased on Ebay awhile back that shows an aerial view of ghost town in what I believe is the early to mid 40’s. Most notable is the fact that so much of this stuff still remains at the farm……at least for now. Let’s briefly run down each of the featured attractions.

Jail – Still there although it was torn down and completely rebuilt a few months ago.

Ghost Town Grill – Still there and easily the second best restaurant at Knott’s next to the Chicken Dinner Restaurant.

Pitchur Gallery – Still there right behind the Hotel as it has always been.

Covered Wagon Show – The Gold Trails Hotel which housed this attraction is still there, though I read that it too was rebuilt back in the mid 90’s, but unfortunately this first attraction on the farm that once occupied the hotel lobby has been replaced by a gift shop.

Roy Bean Saloon – This building still exists but has been moved over near the underpass that now leads to the “Silver Bullet” queue. It is definitely worth stopping in for a look as the interior looks like it hasn’t changed in a hundred years.

Bottle House – This famous building stands in the very spot it was built. In this photo the adjoining music hall and stage coach office had not yet been built.

Path to the chapel – This is the only thing that really isn’t there any more. The only remnants being a portion of the arbor connected to the Bottle house. Alas the chapel that this path once lead to was razed in 2003 to make way for the Silver Bullet Roller Coaster.

Well that wraps up my first post. Hopefully this will spark some discussion so we can “Talk Knott’s”

Thanks for Readin’