Knott's Berry Farm
I have three vintage scans from some Knott's Berry Farm slides for you today. Why the heck not? First up is this pretty view, dated "September 1959", showing one of the beautiful narrow-gauge locomotives stopped at the depot/water tower in Calico Square. Old #40, the aka the "Gold Nugget", later renamed "Green River". I like the word "nugget" and need to work it into my daily conversations more often. Knott's looks beautiful with its many eucalyptus trees. It's fun to look at some details, such as the Indian gentleman waiting to take a photo with guests, or the arches of "El Camino Real". I wonder if the Calico Mine Ride was under construction out of frame to our left (it would open in November of 1960)?
Next is this undated (likely from the late 1950s or early 1960s) picture of a lady checking out one of the tepees that I believe was located on the "island" (actually more of an isthmus) in the lake next to the Church of the Reflections. The size of that mosquito netting should tell you something about Buena Park.
And lastly, from the 1950s comes this photo of the other narrow gauge locomotive, #41, the "Red Cliff" (renamed "Walter K" in 2012). The unusual colors (yellow-gold, orange, and chocolate brown) are the same ones I wear every day to blend into my environment so that I am never attacked by lions. The lady with the red pants (to the right) is singing "The Trolley Song", just in case Cecil B. DeMille happened to be visiting Knott's that day
Just FYI, I had today's post ready to go before I received Steve DeGaetano's Special Guest Posts about the Knott's locomotives!
8 comments:
Major-
"The size of that mosquito netting should tell you something about Buena Park".
Yes, Major... I've heard the stories-!!
"The lady with the red pants... is singing "The Trolley Song", just in case Cecil B. DeMille happened to be visiting Knott's that day." (Shouldn't that be Vicente Minnelli-?) Uh-huh.
Thanks, Major.
We're in the movie "Pleasantville", after everything became colorful. Really nice photo. With all the eucalyptus, it must smell heavenly there.
I tried to discern the pattern on the lady's dress. I think it's a bunch of red/orange roses and/or peonies against a white background. With 'skeeters' that big, at least it'll be easier to keep them out of the teepee. Although, the tribe's ponies will probably be sucked dry by morning.
A great big ol' picture of the Red Cliff in all its bilious colors... happy Saturday, Chuck! Ms. Red Pants is posing for a snapshot, taken by the gent behind the guy in the white shirt.
Just a "nugget" of info, I tried to write a sentence with the word "nugget" mentioned at least three times within it... I couldn't do it. Funny how "nugget" is difficult to fit into a sentence. ;-) Thanks, Major.
That looks like Chief White Eagle over by the El Camino Real arches, in the first pic. Tree stump drinking fountain alert (to the left of the train)!!!
After Mrs. Red Pants sang "The Trolley Song," she broke into, "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe," from "The Harvey Girls."
Thanks for the vintage Knott's pics, Major!
That first photo is simply beautiful. Note how close some of the parking was to the tracks pre-Calico Log Ride.
Note that the woman in red pants is posing near but not on top of the Technicolor Travesty. She’s next to but not over the rainbow.
Thanks, Major!
Ooh, two Knott’s locomotive pics today! Gold Nugget’s paint scheme, while still garish, looks pretty nice—at least compared to Red Cliff. Notice the large air tank on the rear of Red Cliff’s tender for the air brakes. You didn’t want to run out of air descending the mountainous grades of southwest Colorado!
Nanook, some say the skeeters in Buena Park are even worse than the ones in Minnesota! Listen, you and I know that Vincent Minelli directed “Meet Me In St. Louis”, but tthe woman in the red pants doesn’t!
JB, I do love the smell of eucalyptus trees… there was a big stand of them near my grandparent’s house, and I associate that aroma with hot summers at their home. That is definitely a floral print on that woman’s dress, but I couldn’t tell you what sort of flowers they are supposed to be. Imagine being able to just walk up to the Knott’s train, and even climb on it for photos! A different time for sure. “Nugget” is a good word, I think today you should use it 50 times!
TokyoMagic!, good eye on Chief White Eagle (of course you would know his name) and the tree-stump drinking fountain! Mrs. Red Pants sure knew her MGM musicals, and I love her for it.
Chuck, I agree, that first pic really shows the beauty of Knott’s… it may have been “lesser” compared to Disneyland, but it was still wonderful. I have so many pictures of the Red Cliff, I feel as if I’m doing personal injury to you by sharing them!!
Steve DeGaetano, were paint schemes more subdued in the old days? For instance, maybe cow-catchers weren’t actually bright red! If I had my way, they’d not only be red, but with sparkles. I was wondering what that thing was on the Red Cliff’s tender! You read my mind, thank you for the info!!
Major, as Mike Cozart pointed out previously, steam locomotives prior to the Civil War could be very, very colorful, outshining even the Disneyland RR paint jobs. After the death and destruction of the Civil War, bright, happy colors just didn't seem proper, and colors became more subdued. There was still color and wild, fancy pinstriping, but the reds and blues and greens and pinks sort of faded away. When coal became the predominant fuel, layering black soot on every surface, colors, for the most part, just weren't really practical anymore, and black dominated, with some exceptions, like the SP Daylights or the "Virginia Green" Southern Crescent.
I love the train posts because I learn so much. Thank you Steve DG!
Such nice photos today too. I thought that netting was set up to allow the teepee to double as a soccer goal. Notice the chief’s headdress hanging on the tree branch to the left. The guest’s outfit is perfectly coordinated, white shoes, bag, glasses, and beads. My Mom wore her hair like that too. I think the blossoms on her dress might be hibiscus, in keeping with the popular Hawaiian theme of the 60’s.
In photo 3, the passer-by is obscuring the man taking a photo of the lady hanging on the steps of the train car to the right. She is dressed to match the train, orange pants!
Great stuff, Major. Thank you!
Sorry for the late comments, I’m still recovering from travel and not yet in my regular groove.
JG
Post a Comment