Knott's Golden Spike Ceremony, January 12 1952

Digging through my main box of miscellaneous ephemera, I found this nice program from the dedication of the railroad at Knott's Berry Farm, on January 12, 1952. All these years later, the big trains are still one of my favorite things at Knott's! 

So... here's the cover. I wonder who was able to attend this event? Were people invited? Were visitors to the park allowed to enjoy the festivites? My guess is "yes" to both. Since the community of die-hard train fans was relatively small, I'm also wondering if any notable Disney people were there that day (although Disneyland would not come along for years)?

The program provides a brief history of the Denver Rio Grande locomotive, and the usual list of music and speakers that one might see at an event like this. It looks like a mercifully short ceremony! I wonder if there is any surviving record of Water Knott's' remarks?

I scrounged some photos of the event from the interwebs, and they are kind of fun. Look at that crowd gathered in front of the Calico Saloon! It's like Disneyland on a slow day in 2017. Being January, there are lots of coats, hats, and babushkas. The stand of eucalyptus trees looks so great! 

Looks like there was even some drizzle, but that didn't seem to bother most people. Notice the TV camera on that makeshift wooden support. Arthur Fonzarelli was there! Also notice the sign for the short-lived "Mark Smith Horse Show". 

Among the invited guests was actor Sterling Hayden, who was starring in a 1952 movie called "Denver and Rio Grande". That's him, pounding in the golden spike - perhaps you will remember him from his role as Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper, in Stanley Kubrick's "Doctor Strangelove".  The lovely lady is Kasey Rogers, also in "Denver and the Rio Grande" - she had a long and successful career, appearing in many movies and television programs. She played Larry Tate's wife Louise in "Bewitched", and was memorably strangled by Robert Walker in Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers On a Train". Criss cross!

Was there really a ceremonial golden spike? Does it exist in a collection somewhere? Can I have it for free?

First of all, the guy's name is "Sterling", and yet he is driving in a golden spike. Who's idea was that? They should have asked 7 year-old Goldie Hawn to do the honors. I hope Mr. Hayden didn't hit Kasey Rogers' fingers.

And finally, here's perhaps my favorite photo, with Walter and Cordelia Knott posing next to their newest toy, dressed in period costumes. Or maybe that's just how they dressed on an average day, who's to say. They had some lean years in their early days - I'll bet they never imagined that they would have the success that came to them through hard work and good ideas.