Return to Ghost Town, Pt. 1

It had been three years since my last visit to Knott’s Berry Farm (and twice as long for the neighboring theme park in Anaheim!), so when history expert/neon aficionado Eric Lynxwiler suggested we meet in Ghost Town, I immediately said “yes”!

Billing itself as “America's 1st Theme Park,” Knott’s Berry Farm is currently celebrating its 100th Anniversary a year late, due to the pandemic. For me, the draw of Knott’s is Ghost Town and its charming recreation of a Gold Rush mining town. The rest of the park…meh.

There are portions of Ghost Town that have drawn controversy because of their perceived “racist” nature. Some stumble upon the hangman’s noose when they first enter and immediately assume that it’s a reference to the lynching of Blacks.

Not so. It pays to read the signage and do the research before jumping to conclusions. It’s a bit unsettling to see this, but I do applaud its inclusion as it provides an opportunity to have a dialogue. Yes, dialogue can be good and allows an acknowledgement of unsavory parts of the past and whether there has or hasn’t been progress made in the years since. Erasing those elements leads to the possibility that those dark events will be repeated.

Eric pointed out all of the ghostly-paint that still exists on the original wooden structures:

I love seeing these remnants of the past that hang on to their existence despite “progress” and the ravage of the natural elements, like sunlight and termites!

The peek-ins are fun glimpses into the businesses of the past, complete with mannequins, originally carved by Andy Anderson.

Want to see the bottles in the Drug Store?

Zooming into the image in the mirror, you can see an ad for Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound, an herbal medicine that was supposed to relieve menstrual discomfort and menopausal symptoms. It contained 20% alcohol!

A card game at the Sheriff’s office:

A winning hand?

Goldie’s Place, a hotel that provides “extra” room service.

The swinging leg should give you an idea of what you might encounter inside:

Goldie:

and her girls:

The puns strewn throughout Ghost Town give it a home-spun charm that is refreshing.

Kind of like the jokes on the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland: the last vestiges of non-corporate/spontaneous fun.

The often seen front of the sign:

…and thanks to Eric, I saw the rarely-seen back of the sign:

See more Knott’s Berry Farm Ghost Town photos at my main website.

Back to Knott's, Pt. 2

This post focuses on the main (actually, probably the only) reason I visit Knott's Berry Farm: GHOST TOWN! I love the old west town that Walter Knott "collected" and assembled to form a cohesive village of yesteryear. The first shot is a panorama of the Wagon Camp. This shows my main beef with Knott's Berry Farm: the sightlines. You see the old AND the new together, and it really breaks the fantasy effect of feeling like you are back in the Old West.

Gold Trails Hotel:



Those familiar figures outside the hotel that have sat and posed with thousands of guests over the years.



I was SOOOOO disappointed to be told that the peek-ins no longer existed in the Park. Here's Hop Wing Lee's Laundry:



This figure that used to be visible through the window is no longer on display, and neither are the other ones that formerly entertained guests at Knott's. I was told they were damaged during Knott's Scary Farm by the guests.



Apparently this one was spared the chopping block:



A detailed view of the signage:



No peek-in here; it's a real-live horse!



The Blacksmith is real, too, and very friendly with guests:



This gal was making ornaments:



The Post Office is not in use, but it was fun to peek around:









A view of Goldie's:



The Jail is this way:



This was the first time I'd actually seen this guy in action, taking requests for Sad Eye Joe:



The School House was in session:



I could see myself wearing this at times.





I wonder if this ever gets played?



The Calico Saloon:







Boot Hill Cemetery is another example of bad sightlines:





I wonder how much this guy makes a year?



Still more to come! See more Knott's Berry Farm photos at my main website.

Ghost Town: Goldie's Place

Obviously, Disneyland is my favorite theme park, but nearby Knott's Berry Farm still has a charm that has been unspoiled by commercialism and the fear of being offensive to the masses. This is especially true in Ghost Town, which is the more authentic version of Disneyland's Frontierland. When it came to "harsh realities," I think Walter Knott was willing to put the truth out there with a little less varnish than Walt Disney. You would certainly never find a Whore House at Disneyland, but that's exactly what Goldie's Place at Knott's is.



Built in 1940-41, it was based on an actual building in the famous ghost town of Bodie, California. First photo for today is the original building, followed by an April 2010 shot, just before it was completely rebuilt (using some of the original materials).



This photo from my October 2014 visit shows Goldie's today:



The interior peek-in circa 2010:



and how it looks today:



The infamous leg out the window, 2010:



and the 2014 version:



See more Daveland Ghost Town Goldie's Place photos at my main website.