Knott's Berry Farm

Knott's Berry Farm and Ghost Town
Buena Park, CA Page 1

Knott's Berry Farm started in 1920 as a ten acre berry farm, which Walter Knott leased. In 1927 the Knott's bought the ten acre farm on time and in 1929, despite a sharp drop in land prices, the Knott's bought another ten acres. In 1932 Mr. Knott went to visit Mr. Rudolph Boysen, who lived in Anaheim, California. Mr Boysen had developed a new berry, by crossing a loganberry with a blackberry and a raspberry. He gave Mr. Knott his only six remaining plants and Mr. Knott transplanted the plants to his farm at Buena Park, where they thrived. In honor of Mr. Boysen, Mr. Knott named the berry the Boysenberry. Walter Knott's wife, Cordelia, made jam and pies with the Boysenberry and sold them at their roadside stand.

In 1934 the Knott's added a room to their home and opened their first restaurant where they served chicken dinners.

In 1940 they started to create the " Living Ghost Town", which Mr. Knott considered a tribute to the history of the old west. The Ghost Town provided free entertainment to the many dinner guests. By 1941 the farm had expanded to over 120 acres, employed up to 400 employees, had over 100,000 visitors and served over 6,000 chicken dinners in just one very busy day.

In 1946 the Chicken Restaurant seated 880 and the Steak House 450 guests.

In 1947 Knott's Berry Place was renamed to Knott's Berry Farm. In 1954 the Bird Cage Theatre opened in Ghost Town. In 1960 the Calico Mine Ride opened.

In 1968 a general admission fee was charged for the amusement park for the first time. In 1969 the log ride opened. In 1975 the Corkscrew roller coaster opened and in 1976 the 20-story Sky Jump opened. In 1978 the roller coaster Montezooma's Revenge opened in Fiesta Village. In 1983 Camp Snoopy opened. In 1990 the Corkscrew roller coaster was replaced with the Boomerang roller coaster. In 1998 GhostRider roller coaster opened.

The following old postcards, travel decals, menus, match books and other items from Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park CA provide a great visual look back at Knott's Berry Farm and Ghost Town's history.

Original Berry Stand Mr. & Mrs. Walter Knott Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, Calif.	Aerial View Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, CA	Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, California	Walter Knott Founder & Owner Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, California
Parking Lot Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, Calif.	Knott's Berry Farm Restaurant Buena Park, CA	Knott's Berry Farm Dining Room Buena Park, CA	One of the Dining Rooms Knott's Berry Farm
Indian Room of the Steak House Ghost Town	Replica of George Washington's Fireplace Knott's Berry Place	Beautiful Rock Gardens Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, Calif.	Down by the old mill stream Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, CA
Redwood Tree Cross Section Knott's Berry	Active Volcano Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, Calif.	Active Volcano Knott's Berry Farm	Logging Wheels Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, California
Adobe Ruins in Ghost Town Knott's Berry Place	Cowboy at Trail to Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm	Ghost Town Knott's Berry Place	Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm
Blacksmith Shop in Ghost Town Knott's Berry Place	Ghost Town Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, Calif.	Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm mailed 1953	Main Street Knott's Berry Ghost Town
General Merchandise Store Knott's Berry Place	General Merchandise Store Knott's Berry Farm	General Merchandise Knott's Berry Farm	Ghost Town & Calico Railroad Buena Park, CA
Covered Wagon Rides Ghost Town Buena Park, CA	Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm	Cable Car Knott's Berry Farm Ghost Town	Calico Saloon Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm
Calico Saloon Ghost Town	Entertaining in Calico Saloon Ghost Town	Silver Dollar Saloon Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, CA	Old Silver Dollar Bar Ghost Town Knott's Berry Place
Silver Dollar Bar Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm	Silver Dollar Bar Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm	Ghost Town Jail Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, California	Jail Sad Eye Joe Knott's Berry Farm
Post Office and Wells Fargo Express Ghost Town Knott's Berry Place	Old Trails Hotel and Covered Wagon Knott's Berry Place	Ghost Trails Hotel Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm	Indian Village Knott's Berry Farm Ghost Town
Indian Village Knott's Berry Farm Ghost Town	Gold Mine Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm	Knott's Berry Farm Ghost Town, CA	Ghost Town Gold Mine Knott's Berry Farm
Water Wheel in Goldmine Knott's Berry Farm	Prospector Ghost Town Knott Berry Farm, CA	The Old Prospector Knott's Berry Farm	Ghost Town School Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, CA
Judge Roy Bean Justice of Peace Knott's Berry Farm	Music Hall and The Bottle Shop Knott's Berry Place	Ghost Town Barber Shop Knott's Berry Place	Chinese Laundry in Ghost Town Knott's Berry Place
Gamblers Knott's Berry Place Ghost Town	Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, CA	Marilyn & Ceceilia The Calico Belles Ghost Town, California	The Covered Wagon Camp Knott's Berry Farm
Covered Wagon Camp Square Dancers Knott's Berry Farm	Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park California	Steam Pumper Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, Cal.	Old Stage Coach once held up by Black Bart Knott's Berry Place
Old Stage Coach Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, CA	Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, CA	Old Borax Mine Engine Knott's Ghost Town	Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, CA
Little Chapel by the Lake Knott's Berry Place	Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, Calif.	Artist's conception of Ghost Town Knott's Berry	Deadwood Dick's Grave on Main St. Ghost Town
Knott's Berry Farm Ghost Town, CA
Sheriff Lewis of Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, CA	Calico Saloon Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm	Old Timer Panning Gold Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, CA	Post Office Ghost Town Buena Park, CA
Chief Red Feather Knott's Berry Farm	Sheriff Andy and his prisoner Sad Eye Joe Locked in Ghost Town Jail Knott's Berry Place	Greetings From Sad Eye Joe Knott's Berry Farm	Wing Lee Knott's Berry Place Buena Park, CA
Goldie's Joint Ghost Town Buena Park, CA	Gold Dust Goldie's Hotel Buena Park, CA	Boarding House Ghost Town Buena Park, CA	Aunt Nellie Playing Dulcimer Ghost Town Knott's Berry Farm