Knott's Berry Farm, September 1970
Who's ready for a trip to sunny Knott's Berry Farm? Let's go! These are from September, 1970, which is right around the time when I was lucky enough to go to KBF relatively often. It was close to Huntington Beach, it was affordable (compared to Disneyland, which was a once-a-year or MAYBE twice park), and we loved it.
Let's start with this picture of the Calico Log Ride (later the "Timber Mountain Log Ride"), which had debuted just over a year earlier, on July 11th, 1969. Famously, John Wayne and his son Ethan were the first official guests to plummet down that flume. The arches of El Camino Real are to the right, as is the train depot (which I assume was moved when the Log Ride was added?).
The Calico Mine Ride; it's not much of a hot take to say that this is one of my favorite rides at Knott's. During one visit, when my mom dropped me, my siblings, and assorted friends off to fend for ourselves (!), we decided to do the Mine Ride three or four times in a row. NO REGRETS. The ride operators thought we were crazy. I loved the squeaky sound of the trains on those tight turns, and the slightly-grotesque figures inside. I also loved the "underground" waterfall and the glowing caverns!
In spite of the unfortunate colors, I'm happy to see old #41, the Red Cliff, as it passed right through Calico Square (stopping for passengers of course), without so much as an electrified fence to prevent guests from being flattened. And yet, somehow it worked without incident (as far as I am aware)! A log is about to take the plunge in the background, is anybody famous aboard??
I'm away from home, and away from the blog!
2 comments:
1) Wow, this pic is sure crisp & clear! ("It's both! It's a floor wax and a desert topping!") The groovy mom and her daughter (front and center) are definitely today's vintage fashion award winners, right, Melissa? At first I thought mom's dress was iridescent. But on closer inspection, it's just green and blue, tricking the eye.
For a minute, I thought that sign said "EL CAMINO RRAL". I had to chastise my brain for several seconds to make the second 'R' look like an 'E".
2) Another clear & crisp photo. That part of the rockwork that looks like vertical louvers, or drapes, bugs me a bit. It doesn't look natural at all. But I suppose there must be a reason why it looks that way. The lighting is just right for capturing all the details in this pic.
3) Take a good look at the train, Chuck... Now you can call in sick for the day. No work! Oh dear, looks like we have some competition for the vintage fashion award... The gal in red, next to the gal in blue pushing the stroller. Is she (gal in red) pregnant? If so, I'll give her a pass. If not, then Ohhh myyyy!
Thanks for the crispy pictures, Major.
^ dessert, not desert.
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