Knott's, March 1963
I know we were just at Knott's Berry Farm five days ago, but I don't think I'll get too many complaints if we visit there again today.
In this first photo, a football referee angrily waves his ice cream cone at one of the Berry Farm's locomotives. Another dairy-related hate crime. He's probably a diesel fan. Or crazy. Well, I think the train is swell, so there.
From the expression on her face, I'd say that lady must have a pretty good pile of gold dust in her pan. Her 50 cent investment has already paid for itself. Some advice for the kid with the red sweater vest; don't slosh the water around too much, or it will splash all over the front of your slacks, and everyone will laugh at you. Not that it ever happened to me.
14 comments:
That first picture shows the shooting gallery on the left which has now been turned into a Panda Express. :-(
The lady in that second pic looks just a tad like Cordelia Knott. I know it's not, but that's who I thought of when I saw her.
LOL, love the commentary!
What kept the kids from playing in the wheels of the hot steam locomotive? You mean their parents?!
Panning for gold is such a simple and novel idea. I would have loved it.
Funny stuff, Major!
For at least the past 25 years, they have had posts and a chain alongside the train engine to keep kids/people from getting too close to it.
having never been to Knott's, and having always wanted to have gotten a chance to do this....
what could you do with the gold once you had it in the pan?
i imagine that it was placed into a little parchment envelope stamped with the name "Knott's Berry Farm" on it, but that is just what i visualize...
i had a Vanilla Wafer from Storybook Forest here near Pittsburgh for YEARS in one of those little envelopes..it finally crumbled into dust, i imagine, but thanks for that fun memory via today's post. those were fun kid times in the early 60s!
I panned for gold a couple of times as a kid and when I got a little nugget (and I do mean little!) it was put into a tiny glass vial. Pretty cool. Wish I still had it!
Nancy, they poured your fortune in gold dust into a small plastic bottle (along with some water, which magnified it so that it looked like even MORE gold). I posted a photo of one of my gold vials a while ago...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bananaphone5000/GORILLLAS/KnottsGold.jpg
And I still treasure mine! Still remember panning for it all those years ago.
Anonymous 2 here: I also still have my little vial of gold. The front of my trousers also got wet from the flume.
We always went into the gold panning area, although I only remember paying to pan the one time.
Also, I remember the train without the chains and posts...
Wait, the shooting gallery is now a Chinese restaurant? Whats up with that? Always hit the shooting gallery after the Mine Train trip! The prairie dogs eyes light up!
Major and the other commentors, thank you for the memories!
ah, now i recall seeing that little bottle o' gold....thanks to everyone for all the info :)
I remember panning a couple of times and I had quite a haul each time, but then the operator would GRAB the pan out of my hand, swish it around vigorously and slop most of the gold out and then pour what little was left into the glass vial and hand it to me like he did me some big favor and with a big smile say "here ya go!" Yeah, thanks!
It was still fun though. Had each of my boys do it at least once.
That mean man, taunting the poor steam train with a nice cold ice cream. He knows it's hot, steamin' hot...
From an Old West shooting gallery to a Panda Express?! Can't kids get a sense of the Old West anymore... Nowadays you go to the Western Town and get a load of the Far East. It's just like going to WalMart. :)
The lady in the panning pic is clearly enjoying herself. Cute pic. But those ladies next to her, oh shameless golddiggers.
I remember placing pennies on the tracks to be crushed by the train back before they put the railings up. Hard to believe that people used to be smart enough not to touch a hot boiler or stick their fingers in moving wheels. My how we have evolved. Great post and excellent shot of the old shootin gallery. I also agree that the woman panning gold bears a resemblance to Cordelia.
I was wondering what was in the background, now I know it's the shooting gallery!
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