Knott's Berry Farm
I have some fun vintage Knott's Berry Farm scans for you today, starting with this first great shot dated "July 9, 1970" (a Thursday), looking up Market Street toward the impressive Calico Mine Train ride, with the full-sized (but narrow-gauge) railroad stopped at the depot. I love the look of this one, with the eucalyptus trees providing a bit of shade, and lots of people milling about on this summer day.
Next is this scan from 1966, featuring a couple sitting on a weathered old wagon (probably used to bring Pringles to the frontier). Gosh, they're having fun!
7 comments:
Major-
That last photo sure is a beauty.
Thanks, Major.
I've mentioned it before, but I used to think it was called Knottsberry Farm, as in Walter Knottsberry... even as a young adult! (I just felt like being humiliated again, tonight. It's good for the soul. :-p)
1) Ooh! I agree about this one looking especially good. Imagine the heavenly scent coming from those eucalyptus trees! Hmm, I think the guy in the brown plaid shirt and shorts is a pod person... or maybe a zombie. Or maybe he has cerebral palsy and I just made a foolish jerk of myself. (Also good for the soul.)
2) Ha! The guy kindasortamaybe is having fun. But the gal? "Ohhhh myyyy". Maybe she has stage 4 cancer and I just made a fool of myself again. (She actually does look like she's in the latter stages of cancer... been there, done that. I wasn't having fun then, either.)
3) I tend to agree about this one being an "oops". Even if the Native American characters aren't looking at the camera, you'd thing the photographer would have gotten the top half of the popcorn wagon in frame, rather than giving us a more-than-generous look at the dusty street.
4) The chief (do only chieftains wear that kind of feather bonnet?) looks quite elegant and sophisticated here. I wonder if they supply their own costumes?
Thanks for the Knottsberry pics, Major. My soul feels really good now. ;-)
Hey....is that "day old" popcorn? If the pic was taken in the early morning, there's a good chance that it was.
Sadly, those eucalyptus trees were cut down. And in 2001, management had 30 more trees inside the park chopped down, after a tree branch fell on a popcorn wagon at Disneyland, and injured some peeps.
Major, that wagon in the pic with Chief White Eagle was on School Road, and the wagon that the very cheerful couple are sitting in was on Main St.
I always love vintage Knott's pics. Thanks for sharing these, Major!
That three row seat wagon in front of The Post Office and Express office at one point had a Chinese Maple growing up thru it. It was eventually removed for safely as over time was a pile of rotted wood and rusty hardware. The wagon is a type of short distance “stagecoach” called a JERKY WAGON sometimes also called a SPRING COACH. It was manufactured by The Studebaker Wagon Works …. The same company that manufactured the Hawk and Avanti automobiles during the mid 20th Century . Most wagon and carriage makers in America switched to either making automobiles or at least parts for automobiles… like Fischer Coach works made car bodies for GM and Brewster or Abbot Downing ( who made the famous Concord Stagecoaches ) switched to making trucks and buses. Most still offered horse drawn vehicles into the 1920’s. Abandoned horse drawn vehicle were common all over but began to disappear when they were picked apart of their hardware during the metal drives of WW 2.
While I know that first photo was taken almost five years before my first visit, that’s still how I choose to remember Knott’s. I haven’t been inside the park itself since 1995, so I am spared the mental picture of the treeless hellscape that TM! describes.
Mike, it’s sad to note that the jerky wagon eventually fell apart, but when you think about it, it’s really amazing that something made of dried meat lasted as long as it did.
Nanook, looking through my ever-shrinking Knott’s slides, I see a few other real beauties coming up!
JB, did you ever live near Hersheypark? I’m sure you said before but I forget. You’re the only person I know who has ever thought that Knott’s was Knotsberry Farm. Which makes you unique! Hey, that guy with the brown plaid shirt and shorts? That’s ME! I guess I’m trained to smile when a camera is pointed in my direction, though my smile usually looks like I’ve stepped on a nail. That woman might have had to pose for 30 pictures earlier in the day and she was “over it”. I think that third photo might be a case of the viewfinder showing the photographer a different frame than the actual camera captured. Possibly. I can’t speak about whether only chiefs wore those bonnets, or if others did too. They do make a person look pretty important though.
TokyoMagic!, day-old popcorn is the taste sensation that the kids love! They make Tik -Toks about it, and twerk with boxes full of stale popcorn. Older people just don’t understand. I hate that they cut down those trees, but eucalyptus do tend to drop huge branches. My grandpa used to call them “widow makers”. Thank you for the wagon info, I knew you would know!
Mike Cozart, yes, I think once a maple tree has been growing through a wagon, it is probably “done for”. Leaving those wooden vehicles out in the elements for decades is going to do just what we expect. “Jerky Wagons”? Sure, that couple seems unfriendly, but it’s not nice to say that they are “jerky”. Man, I’m so funny! I have an old employee bacge for Fischer Coach, it had an old buggy on it even though they had long switched to automobile work. I can’t help wondering what sort of “now-amazing” items were tossed into scrap heaps for those metal drives!
Chuck, you have to go back to Knott’s! Even if it means that people see you openly weeping. It’s very important because… well, uh… trust me, it just is. If there was a Tesla made of beef jerky, I might actually buy one. "I'll get the spicy teriyaki style".
That first photo is how I remember Knotts. Wonderful picture, I’m adding to my permanent collection. It will be in a gilt frame with a brass plaque. And the other pictures are really excellent too. I now want some stale seasoned popcorn.
Eucalyptus are known for brittle wood and dropping branches on the unwary. These were widely planted around California after being imported for use as fence posts. The wood grain was too loose and twisted to make good timber, but the trees continued to used as wind breaks and field borders and finely scented firewood. Our neighboring farm had a long row (1/4 mile?) of “eukes” and it was not uncommon to hear limbs dropping. CA State Parks are trying to eliminate the species in the parks due to them being non-native. Grapes from vineyards planted near groves often will have a mild eucalyptus aroma that is noticeable and quite nice in the resulting wine.
Another Little known fact: Mr. Studebaker came to California in the Gold Rush and instead of mining or panning, he decided to open a wheelwright and wagon shop in Folsom (near Sacramento), the money heavilyearned was later used to found his motorcar company where he originated the “meat vehicle” made of steak.
Ok the last part is a joke.
Thanks for the great pictures, Major!
JG
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