Knott's Berry Farm history book and website

Hi all -

I just wanted you to know that I finally got my website - knottspreserved.com - up and running. It's ostensibly to promote the book, which is coming out this March - but even more, to show many of the images that were cut from the book due to size limitations. Trying to fit 90 years of history into a 144-page book will do that!

You can view the new website here:

http://www.knottspreserved.com

I only have had time to put up some basic informational pages, along with about 5 sections showcasing photos and other media (Paul von Klieben, Christmas in Ghost Town, the Haunted Shack, the Calico Mine Ride & Knott's Bear-y Tales). I will be adding more as time allows, but for now, I hope that is interesting and whets your appetite for more. I also will have a blog, which I will also be updating as time allows. The first entry tells you the background on how this project came to be - I have been working on this in some fashion since the early 1990s! This is the page to bookmark and check on every so often to learn what is going on with the book.

http://www.knottspreserved.com/Site/Blog/Blog.html

Lastly, when you do look at the pages with photos on them, be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. At the bottom, I am trying to include excerpts from many of the interviews I have done over the years, and some of the recordings in my collection. Some of the pages make take some time to load - as I didn't want to make the images and videos even smaller than they already are. So - I would recommend a high speed connection if possible. If not, be patient. It will load eventually.

I hope you enjoy the website! If you have time to mention to anyone you think might be interested, please do!

All best,
Chris Merritt

Unfortunately, my computer is far too slow to see most of this....but the little I saw is tantalizing, to say the least!

Please post here when your book is ready....I would definitely buy one!

And I don't know how much you can add to your book, but what would be really cool is old Knott's maps, so we can see where certain rides used to be: Haunted Shack, archery range, original panning for gold location, Jungle island, and the one that bugs me the most: the attraction that told the story of the knott family coming west in the wagon train...or was that my imagination? WTF was that ride? As I recall, it had audio-aminatronic figures?

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2009-12-20 20:22 ]

Hi Lucas -

You are thinking of the Covered Wagon Show. No - it didn't have animatronic figures - just a few dummies in the foreground of the scene.

Try again to look at the site - be patient for the images to load - there is some interesting (at least to me) stuff there.

There will be at least 2 high rez maps in the book...

Best!

That's right, covered wagon show....where did that used to be exactly?

In the "lobby" of the Gold Trails Hotel - which has been rebuilt several times over the years. Not much original left on it, I'm afraid.

Since there's a small question and answer thing going on - Growing up in Huntington Beach, in elementary school we would go on a field trip to Knott's every year and we would go to a "Free" part of Knott's where there was a Merry Go Round pulled by a horse and there were also animal attractions like a chicken that played piano for food. Where was that?

Well - that sounds like Old MacDonald's Farm to me - the only problem is, it was located inside of the enclosed park. Unless your school had some kind of a deal to get in for free - I do know that they offered free educational tours of Ghost Town for many years.

Thank you and yes we went though the gates but only stayed in that area.

I'm really looking forward to the book. Will you be back in the U.S. when the book is released and will there be a book tour?

The current plan is for me to come back for a visit when the book is released in March, and to do several signings and lectures for a week or two. I'm planning one for Knott's with a few surprise guests if I can get it all together. In the meantime, I'm still working on Universal Studios Singapore, trying to get everything done!

I looked up the gold trails hotel, and found some good stuff!

http://www.socalhistoryland.mysite.com/Historic_Knotts.html

(I love themepark archeology!)

Yeah - that article is by Phil Brigandi, who is an amazing historian and all around good guy. He helped me a lot when I was researching the early years of the Farm.

You are the resident expert here on tiki central when it comes to theme parks! I have very much enjoyed your posts over the years!

Well - I'm not an expert - but that is nice of you to say. Thanks!

On 2009-12-20 20:25, Tangaroa wrote:

You are thinking of the Covered Wagon Show. No - it didn't have animatronic figures - just a few dummies in the foreground of the scene.

Yep, and they had "real" covered wagons in the back, that you sit in and watch the show.

On 2009-12-22 00:44, Unga Bunga wrote:

On 2009-12-20 20:25, Tangaroa wrote:

You are thinking of the Covered Wagon Show. No - it didn't have animatronic figures - just a few dummies in the foreground of the scene.

Yep, and they had "real" covered wagons in the back, that you sit in and watch the show.

Wow! That's right! I had forgotten!

I have searched for pictures on the web, never found anything.

Hi Chris - Greg here,

Congrats on this Knotts book, I look forward to it and your possible Knotts lectures in March.

Waiting patiently for the P.O.P. book next :)

Let's get together when you come back to the States, okay?

Thanks for that little slice of Americana Tangoroa. My family lived in Buena Park in 1959/60 about 1 mile away from Knotts. Back then the park was free and we went there a lot (for chicken dinner, pies, or just to screw around). The only "attractions" then were the train, the stagecoach, old McDonalds farm, panning for gold, the Indian village and ghost town. I think that year stands out as my favorite childhood memory (BTW, we lived right behind the Lincoln Drive-In and got to see movies for free!).

Thanks all - I'm also working on the P.O.P. in my spare time - which isn't much. But I have gotten some interviews with some very interesting designers and employees from P.O.P. - so I'm hoping for an equally interesting read.

Hi all -

I just wanted to let those of you interested that my long-awaited book on the history of Knott's Berry Farm - Knott's Preserved - is finally coming out! It will be released to the general public in early June - and you can pre-order it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Knotts-Preserved-Boysenberry-Theme-History/dp/1883318971

However, we are having a pretty neat event at Knott's on Sunday, April 18 - featuring a signing with myself, Eric Lynxwiler & Tony Baxter, as well as a ticketed event with historical walking tours & lectures, dinner at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant and an evening panel discussion featuring ex-Knott's designers, including Enchanted Tiki Room designer Rolly Crump. You can download the order form for tickets here:

http://www.knottspreserved.com/Site/KnottsEventFlyer.pdf

There was a pretty nice review of the book here a few days ago:

http://www.yesterland.com/knottspreserved.html

Hope to see some of you there!

• Chris

Thanks Tang!
Look forward to getting it.

I got my copy on pre-order/wish list on Amazon. Glad to see someone put together the book. Knotts is a large part of the memories of growing up in Southern California for many of us and a large part of the culture of 20th Century California.

And maybe the book will answer a mystery for me. Reading the Yesterland link reminded me of seeing the "active volcano" with the little mechanical devil next to it operating the machinery of the volcano. That prompted some questions.

• Why did they build a replica of an active volcano in an amusement park whose theme was the Old West? Most people associate volcanos with South Pacific islands and not Western ghost towns.

-Is the volcano still there?

-Has anybody built one for their backyard or heard of anybody who did? It would be the ultimate centerpiece of an outdoor tiki bar or patio.

The original Volcano was built in 1939 by Walter Knott using lava rock from the mojave desert to hide an irrigation pipe, which was an eyesore in plain view of the guests in the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. He got a little carried away with it - adding nightlime lighting and smoke effects - as well as the little mechanical devil that "powered" the thing... In 1950 it was moved and enlarged to a location near the Sports Shop - where it stood rumbling away until it was removed to make room for the Ghost Rider roller coaster in 1998... I miss it! Some pics here:

http://letstalkknotts.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-miss-volcano.html

Hey Tang, I pre-ordered your book at Amazon. Looking forward!

Thanks! And we still have tickets available for Knott's on April 18. As I said - Rolly Crump will be there - who I know is of great interest to this crowd because of all his work on the Enchanted Tiki Room...

http://www.knottspreserved.com/Site/KnottsEventFlyer.pdf

Quite a long line but i got my "Knott's Preserved" book.
The ticketed part was sold out so could not participate.
Anybody got photos of the book signing and/or tour they could post?

Just pre-ordered on Amazon. Love books like this so I can take a walk down memory lane. :)

How was the event? It was on my birthday, which also was the expiration of my Disney Annual Pass. If that hadn't been the case, I would have surely went to this. So anyone? Cliffnotes version? :lol:

Going to outside sources, if you keep scrolling the link below, there is a report and photos of the book signing and the history tour.

Micechat: Park Report-Knotts Preserved

Tang! Amazon sent me my copy of "Knott's Preserved". Wow! Great job. This book is awesome.

And for those wondering if there is anything Tiki in the book, there is! Page 110 shows an artist rendition from 1963 of an unrealized attraction which would have featured a "tropical cruise with tiki overtones".

Thanks man! Very nice of you. We all worked our asses off on the book, so I'm glad it's been well received.

• Chris M

Yowzer!!! Just got my book and it is awesome.

My parents used to take us to Knotts once a year whenever we were doing a weekend at the relatives in Downey. We would do Disneyland about 3 times a year. Of course Disneyland was a child's dream, but Knotts held a special place in my Dad's heart. As they added rides, it also became a favorite of mine...the mine shaft was great. My Mom always brought home lots of preserves.

I remember panning for gold...posing with the miner's for pix, playing in the slanted room, yummy food, and the jail where you looked inside and the prisoner (statue) talked to you (knew your name and all about you-cause my Dad snuck behind the shack and told the speaker guy what to say...it always surprised my sister).

The book is just beautiful with such great pictures. I can hardly wait to show my Mom (91 years old now), she will really enjoy it. CONGRATULATIONS on such a fabulous accomplishment.

Wow! Thanks!

Knott's Berry Farm: The Good Old Days

Hi everyone - I just wanted to let you know that there is a 'Knott's Preserved' Facebook page - assuming any of you want to see more vintage Knott's photos not in the book.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Knotts-Preserved/175903632427821

This book of yours is a public service. I've fond memories of visiting Knott's growing up.

Thanks! working on the Pacific Ocean Park book now - hope to have it out sometime in 2013...