Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Knott's Ghost Town, May 1960

Here are three nice photos from Knott's Berry Farm's fabulous Ghost Town. It really feels like a ghost town, there is nobody there!

The long shadows and bright blue sky indicate that these were taken in the morning, which explains the lack of crowds. A derelict wagon sits mouldering in front of some sort of mining relic (that handily doubles as a streetlight). The building with the peaked roof is the Grist Mill. If you looked through those windows near that grindstone, would you see one of the Ghost Town's famous "peek ins"?


Looking toward the Blacksmith's shop, you can see the bench where Whisky Bill and Handsome Brady spent their days (and nights!). I remember watching a real blacksmith hammering red-hot metal inside the blacksmith's when I was a kid - presumably for the various mules and horses used throughout the park. Hey look, a living human being is just ducking around the corner! Or is it.... A GHOST!


There's a restaurant, and then print shop, and (my favorite), Goldie's! If you don't know what Goldie's was, don't ask. Nearby is the Town Jail, where Sad Eye Joe could be found, forever mournful in his cell. Oh man, if only I could go back and visit the Knott's from this era!


4 comments:

  1. Major, I would love to go back and visit this Knott's too! That building in the first pic with the grinding stone in front of it was the Knife Shop. It's gone now and believe it or not, that is the spot where the Pan for Gold attraction is located today.

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  2. TM!, thanks as always for your Knott's Knowledge! It DOES seem hard to believe that the Pan for Gold attraction is right where the old Knife Shop was. But as we all know, things have changed so much there.

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  3. I know I was there, I have a picture of me on the bench with the two wino's, but I can barely remember this version, bits look familiar, but all my orientation is completely gone...

    Thanks Major.

    JG

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  4. If you find a way to get back there, you better take me with you!

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