Saturday, May 23, 2009

Saturday Knott's Selection

Let's check out some Knotts stuff today, OK?

Starting with this souvenir "Good Luck" token that I found in a box (along with 4 others just like it!). This is one that I brought home myself, I think there might have been a machine that dispensed them in the blacksmith's shop. Coulda been someplace else though. There's "Whittles" the grizzled-but-friendly miner, he was a "mascot" of Knotts Berry Farm for a few years.


From March 1963, it's Old MacDonald's Farm. Ever have a hankerin' to pet some goats? No problem! It's all good here at the farm. I like the fun design of the barn! That old lady is giving us the eyeball, I'll bet she was a school teacher; she didn't put up with any foolishness.


Now it's September 1975, and we're standing at the edge of the lake. The small sidewheel steamer is named after Walter Knott's wife Cordelia, and it looks like it would be a mighty nice way to see the sights. I wonder if this lake was really only knee deep?


Among the many shops is the Candy Parlor. I wonder what they sold there? Maybe pencils or something. The landscaping makes this a peaceful scene, with a pergola covered in bright pink bouganvilla to the left, a rose garden, and a lovely fountain.

8 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

I miss THIS Knott's! I miss the Candy Parlour. I miss the Dreger clock and the statue of the dog that could be found in that rose garden. I miss Knott's Lagoon and the Cordelia K. Steamboat. By the way, I remember riding out on that lake in the row boats (I think one is visible in your photo) and I remember being able to touch the bottom of the lake with the oars if you held them vertically and stuck them straight down into the water....it was pretty shallow. Boy, Knott's and Disney both take everything that's fun and good and just trash it, don't they?

Chiana said...

Oh the Candy Parlour. When I went there, Maj, it was a great candy shop. Tons of candy, that'd make you weigh tons if ya ate it all, of all kinds. Big store in there. I remember mom picked up colored rock candy crystals on a wood stick. Knotts was a great stop to pick up goodies. Salad dressings to flour, candy to buttermilk biscuit mixes, you name it Knotts had (has?) it. That was a lovely area, even nicer than the picture suggests.

Why they didn't capitalize on its brand by opening a big nifty internet store for their foods is to my view another clue its modern day owners have lacked vision and seemingly interest as well.

In the McD's Farm pic, the older lady is scowling to shame her hubby, taking the pic, from what she knows he's apt to do: stare at that shameless young woman who, despite being a mother, is in standing in such a wanton posture. He'll claim he's framing the barn, but she'll know she's off center because he had to get that woman in his picture to look at later. For shame Clarence! :p

Katella Gate said...

Well now, I have been waiting for years for a picture of the Knott's Courtyard fountain to show up! Many thanks.

As a child I was vaguely disappointed that it wasn't an "enchanted" fountain like in the Tiki Room, but I loved it anyway. I recall it changed colors slowly at night.

The Candy Parlour's Rock Candy also brings back fond memories... As a 6 year old I'd imagine they were Emeralds and Rubies, and bury them in the back yard playing pirate. For 25 cents worth of sugar candy and a shoe box, I could play all day.

That's a world long gone.

Katella Gate said...

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outsidetheberm said...

Yup, that fountain changed colors in the evening. Not very high tech by the way - the mechanism in the water resembled one of those 50s Christmas Tree wheels. Neat memory there, Katella.

Katella Gate said...

Yes, that's how I remember it was: a rotating color wheel of some kind. I also remember several of the heads in the ring were miss-aligned and I REALLY wanted to climb up and make them shoot straight.

Nancy said...

Old MacDonald's Farm could use a fresh coat of the red there...

very pretty area there at the Candy Parlour and i love the gingerbread trim...ill bet is smelled wonderful in there! :)

Let's Talk Knott's said...

Super picture of the Candy Parlor!