Sunday, June 21, 2009

Knott's, April 1967

Today's Knott's views aren't the most spectacular in the world, but I had 'em, so I figured that I might as well use 'em.

The Cable Car Kitchen got it's name from General Joaquin de Cable Car. No, no, that's a joke, please don't use that information in your Master's thesis. I'd feel guilty for days. The CCK had been there since the late 50's, placed near the tracks of some former San Francisco cable cars that Walter Knott had purchased. Sorry, they didn't serve Rice-a-roni. Is it still there?


This petrified horse and the wagon advertising Doc Skinem's World Famous Indian Medicine Show are in the world's tiniest corral. Doctor Mal de Mer's Medicine Show was still going strong in 1967, so I'm not sure what exactly was up with this odd display for a competing snake oil salesman's show.

9 comments:

Michelle said...

The cable car kitchen is long gone as well as the San Francisco cable cars. Those were the cool days of Knott's!

Mark London said...

Anyone have Haunted Shack pics?

TokyoMagic! said...

The Cable Car Kitchen is still there, it just had a name change. In the mid to late eighties, the name was changed to "Simply Grand Foods."

The Cable Car Kitchen included 3 areas. The front had buffet service (under the shingled sloping part of the roof) and that section also had an indoor dining room...the dining room was in the square part of the building that says "Cable Car Kitchen" on the outside. The middle section faced Virginia's Gift Shop (visible in the distance) and had fast food/counter service. The back section was an Ice Cream Parlour and it faced both the Volcano and what was the original entrance to the park when they first put up a fence and began charging admission.

The Ice Cream Parlour underwent a major remodel about 10 years ago. The buffet section has had many changes to it over the years. It became a mexican food place, a Mrs. Knott's Chicken "Express" and I think even a pizza place. It is now currently a "Cinnabon." The dining room is still there....however it was sealed off from the restaurant many years ago when it was converted into a souvenir shop.

Major Pepperidge said...

Wow, TokyoMagic!, you sure know a lot about Knott's!! I'm impressed...

TokyoMagic! said...

Thanks, Major. As a kid, my family went there just as much as we went to Disneyland....at least once a year. Then when I was in high school, I got a job working at Knott's and stayed there for 7 1/2 years! I actually worked in the CCK Ice Cream Parlour for about a year. I am still kicking myself that I didn't take more photos of the park during that time!

Chris Jepsen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris Jepsen said...

The Cable Car Kitchen opened in 1959. Its name was chosen in a contest. During construction, the name used for it was "Jester's Pantry."

TokyoMagic! said...

Thanks for that info, Chris!

Happy 50th Anniversary Cable Car Kitchen!!!

Nancy said...

what a great picture. this restaurant reminds me of the one we have here at Kennywood...its one of those great, old fashioned parks

the horse looks like it has antlers...i like it! :D