KNOTT'S BERRY FARM, Pg. 2 |
ART | DISNEYLAND | EMAIL DAVE | HOME |
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GRAND AVENUE & CHICKEN DINNER RESTAURANT: APRIL 2010 |
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THEME PARK |
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FIESTA VILLAGE, JUNE 2010 |
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GHOST TOWN |
| BACKSTORY: In 1940, Walter Knott’s construction crew began to build a “ghost town” out of buildings and materials salvaged from all over the western part of the country. “We are continually seeking materials with which to reconstruct the ghost town here at Knott’s Berry Place. By securing a building here, part of another there, an old bar in one place or something else somewhere else we add to the picture we are attempting to portray—a composite picture of the ghost towns of the west as they appeared in ’49 and early ’50s. We are not collecting museum pieces nor is it the intention to build a museum. Our thought is to collect a town but as that is impossible we try to do the next best thing—build or reconstruct a ghost town that will be authentic and show life as it was lived in the early days.” —Walter Knott, 1942 A Covered Wagon Show opene in February 1942 on Washington’s Birthday. It was a curved painting (known as a cyclorama) with set pieces in front of it that used sound and lighting effects to tell the story of the pioneers crossing the desert by covered wagon, just as his family had back in 1868. |
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GOLDIE’S PLACE |
BACKSTORY: Goldie’s is Ghost Town’s cat house, much to the disgust of Cordelia Knott. It was built of old lumber in 1940-41, and was a replica of an actual building the famous ghost town of Bodie, California, which burned in the big fire of 1932.
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GHOST TOWN GRILL |
BACKSTORY: The front of the building was built in 1940-41, but the restaurant didn’t open until September 11, 1946. It originally sat 50 people, but has been enlarged many times over the years.
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THE BOTTLE HOUSE |
BACKSTORY: The first room was built around 1946, and appropriately enough was the original home of the Glass Blowers Shop. 1940’s Park publicity said it was built from 3,082 bottles (mostly champagne) brought from the old Death Valley area ghost town of Rhyolite, where an original 1905 bottle house still stands. A second bottle house room was added, then the adobe Music Hall on the north, built around 1948. Besides it collection of antique music boxes, the Music Hall also boasted a painting by famed 19th century California artist Charles Nahl, “The Night Watch.” Attached to the Music Hall is the adobe Butterfield Stage Station, designed by Otheto Weston and built in 1953. Weston took over as art director of Ghost Town after Paul von Klieben retired. It served for many years as the ticket office for “Bushy” Bill Higdon’s stagecoach ride, which began operation in 1949.
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THE GOLD TRAILS HOTEL |
BACKSTORY: Originally came from a real ghost town near Prescott, Arizona, and was rebuilt to house the Covered Wagon Show. The hotel was remodeled several times over the years, and was rebuilt entirely in 1997, along with most of the north side of Main Street.
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CALICO SALOON |
| BACKSTORY: Planning for the Saloon had already started by 1950, even before Walter Knott decided to take on reconstruction of the actual ghost town of Calico located on California’s Mojave Desert. It was just by chance that Knott’s had decided to name their new drinking hall the Calico Saloon—not for famed silver town, but for the Calico printed wallpapter that covered the walls. The mahogany bar was built at the Farm, duplicating a 14' bar brought down from the town of Vallecito in California’s Mother Lode country in 1950. Behind the bar, Paul von Klieben painted his vision of “Saturday Night in Old Calico.” The can-can girls originally performed on the second-floor balcony. The stage beind the bar was added later, and Von Klieben’s painting was moved to the second floor of the Pitchur Gallery, where it can still be seen if you ask politely! |
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CALICO MINE TRAIN ATTRACTION |
) July 1961 |
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THE GHOST TOWN & CALICO RAILROAD |
| BACKSTORY: The train has been serving visitors here since January 12, 1952. The depot was once the Hansen station on the Pacific Electric Railway (the Big Red Cars). It stood near the corner of Ball Road and Knott Avenue—which was originally known as Hansen Road. |
WAGON CAMP STUNT SHOW, JUNE 2010 |
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INDEPENDENCE HALL REPLICA |
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^RETURN TO TOP |
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