A Knott's Berry Farm Selection
I need to scan more Knott's slides, but for now I'll use up a few odds and ends; I always love a visit to the old Ghost Town.
Here's a pretty nice view of the Calico Mine Ride, which had opened 1960 (one year before this photo was taken). Our photographer was standing on the upper balcony of the Calico Saloon. It's so great that we can still ride the little mine trains 60 years later - the attraction even received a nice upgrade in 2014.
If you want to make an impression, make sure to build your structure with a large waterfall cascading down. Frank Lloyd Wright knew it, and now you do too.
This old photo print has a pencilled note on the back, "Disneyland train". But WE know better, don't we? The "Ghost Town and Calico Railroad" had only been at Knott's for four years at this point, and it was a wonderful addition.
And finally, I love this photo of the side of the Calico Saloon ("Fancy Drinks"!). The wood on that little side addition looks fairly new, it hasn't weathered to a dark brownish-gray; I wonder if the saloon needed extra storage space? You can just see a yellow passenger car from the railroad to the extreme right. And look at that guy sitting on the bench! What a character. I'll bet he has an ace or two up his sleeve (or in his hat). I wish I knew more about him.
I hope you've enjoyed your trip to Knott's Berry Farm!
15 comments:
Yay! Vintage Knott's Pics!
I have never noticed the variation (gradation?) in color on the very top of the Calico Mine Ride. I wonder how long that lasted? It almost makes it seem like there is another mountain range, beyond the rockwork of the Mine Ride.
I believe those American Indian figures in the last pic, were created by Claude Bell, who also created the "miners" and "saloon girls" on the benches.
One of those windows above the bench in the last pic, featured silhouettes of a man and a woman, who would "kiss," but it was only visible at night. The effect hadn't worked for many years, but it was finally restored maybe about six or seven years ago. However, I'm not sure that it was still working right up until the park's shutdown in March.
I spy a pair of dressalikes in the first picture! Near the bottom left there’s a pair of ladies in red cardigans, white blouses, and plaid trousers.
The last view today, now featuring a water fountain. Thanks for the fun pictures!
I just kinda sorta remember riding the Calico Mine back in '73. I seem to remember that I was concerned that it would be more on the order of the Rumaway Mine Train at SFOT. I was not particularly brave back then. Heck, I'm not all that hyped on coasters now, although I can appreciate a nice moderate one ok. My general lack of coaster enthusiasm is why I probably won't go to Knott's again. I'll stick with Disney, although I'm a little worried about them now...
It takes a big train to haul those boysenberries out of the mine.
Love the Calico Mine Ride. One of the crown jewels of Knott's Berry Farm. It's my favorite attraction at the park.
Thanks, Major.
TokyoMagic!, Great extra info there you shared. Especially about the kissing silhouettes in the window. I never noticed the color variation on the Calico Mine Ride's "mountain" either. Very cool.
Happy to have experienced it all when it was like this. KS
TokyoMagic!, I had noticed the gradient at the top of the “mountain peaks”, but it never occurred to me that it was supposed to represent aerial perspective. I’m sure you are right about that! And I would not be surprised about those Indian figures being from the hand of Claude Bell, either. Wow, I love that fact about the kissing silhouettes in the window, I never knew about that! I’ll have to ask Irene to look for that (she’s going fairly soon, though I don’t know if she’ll be there after it’s dark). I’d love it if the effect was still working.
Melissa, it took me a bit to find them, but you are right, those young ladies are dressed just alike! But I don’t think they’re identical twins.
Andrew, thanks for the link to the “today” view! It’s nice that they have water fountains for guests, but i am mostly surprised that there is a tree right near the Saloon, I thought most of the trees inside the park had been removed.
Stu29573, the Calico Mine Train moves pretty slow for most of its journey, especially when it is navigating some pretty tight turns - you can hear the metal wheels squeaking with the friction. It’s kind of a shame that Knott’s went all-in with roller coasters, I guess that’s what got the kids to come back over and over - but it sure changes the general atmosphere of the park.
Melissa, I hope they don’t hit a gusher!
K. Martinez, I agree, I think the Mine Ride just edges out the Log Ride, though I love them both a lot. Previously, I thought that the color “fading” at the top of the Mine Ride’s mountains was supposed to represent a light dusting of snow, but that makes no sense at all!
KS, I didn’t go to Knott’s quite this early, but I still had tons of fun there around 1970!
Love these photos!! Thanks for posting. Too much of this look and feel has been sucked out of both Disneyland and Knott's. The old west mines/log flumes, trains etc. have lost appeal to the younger generations. So sad :-(
Alonzo, I'm going through my Knott's slides in the order in which they were boxed, but I have a few that are super nice coming up. It might be many months before you guys get to see them though! It seems hard to believe that kids and teens don't find the Old West theme to be fun, but I guess you're right... now they need superheroes I suppose.
@Melissa
But they're cousins,
Identical cousins all the way.
One pair of matching bookends,
Different as night and day.
The Calico Mine Train was the best thing ever. I always rode this with my Dad, because Mom was scared of the dynamite sequence. I don't recall this ever having a long wait, but it was a fun pre-show queue with lots of movement and activity. I remember the cool breeze through the waterfall. The sad-sack mannequins were part of the charm and no one cared that they didn't look real.
Then on the way out, we would stop at the shooting gallery and pop a few prairie dogs.
Major, I agree about the gent on the bench, he looks like he could tell a story or two.
Andrew, thanks for the modern day link. It would be hard to find a less-appropriate drinking fountain, eh?
JG
I love the benches facing the Mine Train in the first scene. They don't make any sense from a theming perspective, but they provided a nice place to sit and watch the trains and waterfall.
Thanks, Major. Looking forward to your future Knott's installments!
Today's pictures remind me of one of the funniest past GDB pictures & comments from the Major -
See the 2nd picture (with Major's corresponding comment) from GDB 1/16/2012:
http://gorillasdontblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/special-guest-monday-knotts-berry-farm.html
Also, the first picture, today, looks like one of those tilt-shift pictures. Sort of looks like a little diorama with miniature people.
Thanks, Major!
Sue
^ And I should've also mentioned that Bill Youmans provided that picture that I LOVE, from that 1/16/2012 GDB post. Thanks, Bill Youmans, too!
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