Thursday, April 21, 2011

Traveling Thursdays: Knott's Berry Farm, April 1963



This week we'll take a break from my mom's 1955 European excursion and visit Knott's Berry Farm, circa April 1963. This will also serve as an intro for a short series of Disneyland images from the same batch.

Although Knott's doesn't really sing the siren's song for me like Disneyland, I sure do like Ghost Town. These photos show it during its heyday, before the views were tainted by off-the-shelf thrill rides and other distractions. This first shot shows something I've commented on before; it always seemed a little odd that a train just ran right through the middle of the park...no fence, no protection at all. I think people must have been smarter back in the 60's!



I wish this Native American would step aside—he's blocking the signage!



I can only guess that "bonnets" were the issue. Maybe somebody put a few bees in them. Oh, that hurts...







Zooming in closer to The Bird Cage Theatre, I can only make out the word "melodrama" on the marquee at left:







Follow my Daveland updates on Twitter. See more vintage & current photos Knott's photos at my regular website.

9 comments:

  1. Yay, vintage Knott's! That's Chief White Eagle in the photo. This was a common spot for him to pose with guests. In the second to last pic, you can see a father squatting down to take a pic of his two kids wearing feather bonnets/headdresses and posing with the Chief.

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  2. Very nice Knott's photos!

    Perhaps the sign says "Do Not Handle Bonner Durchmusterung", which were volumes of astronomical charts from Germany. I'm sure that's it! ;-)

    I think the Birdcage poster says "Live Melodrama" as well as "A Fortune in Flames".

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  3. Ah, Knotts Berry farm..I can remember my dad when I was a kid threw all of us kids into the car for a drive. We ended up at Knotts. It was free to walk around then. Its a good memory. Also it is the place that my husband and I had our first date, after he got his car.

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  4. First date photos on our NY Squared blog, check the date, April 6, 2008.
    They make me giggle every time I see them. I hope for the same for you.

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  5. Major - Thanks for clearing up the signage - I am still laughing.

    Momma Nic - great photos on your blog from your first date - what a souvenir!

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  7. I thoroughly enjoyed these photos! Makes me want to go to Knott's today for biscuits!

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  8. I can't compete with the Major's comments and won't try. But I will point out that the poster in front of the Birdcage Theatre promotes "Fortune In Flames." The cut-out sign shaped like a villian now stands in front of a theater in Long Beach.

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  9. Also, the standee says "live entertaiment.". The missing "n" was overlooked for years.

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