Knott's Berry Farm

Knott's Berry Farm is a theme park in Buena Park, California, and a manufacturer of food specialty products (primarily jams and preserves) based in Placentia, California. In addition, Knott's also operates three Soak City USA water parks in Southern California, as well as the Camp Snoopy theme park in Minnesota's Mall of America.

Table of contents

1 History
2 Theme Park Attractions

2.1 Ghost Town
2.2 Fiesta Village
2.3 The Boardwalk
2.4 Camp Snoopy
2.5 Wild Water Wilderness
2.6 Indian Trails

3 Park Annual Events

History

In the 1920s, Walter Knott and his family sold berries from a roadside stand. In the 1930s Walter Knott cultivated the world's first boysenberry, a combination of the red raspberry, blackberry, and loganberry. In 1934, Knott's wife Cordelia (b.? - d. 1974) began serving fried chicken dinners, and within a few years, lines outside the restaurant were often several hours long. To entertain the waiting crowds, Walter built a Ghost Town in 1940, using buildings relocated from real old west towns such as the Calico, California ghost town and Prescott, Arizona. In 1968, the Knott family fenced the farm, charged admission for the first time, and Knott's Berry Farm officially became an amusement park.

In 1995, the Knott family sold the food specialty business to ConAgra. In 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair L.P. Since being acquired by Cedar Fair, the park has seen an aggressive shift towards thrill rides, with the construction of a number of large roller coasters and the addition of a high-performance log flume ride.

Theme Park Attractions

Knott's Berry Farm is divided into six distinct themed areas: Camp Snoopy, Ghost Town, Indian Trails, Fiesta Village, The Boardwalk, and Wild Water Wilderness. In addition, a small shopping village called California Marketplace sits outside the admission gate, and includes the famous Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant and a number of gift shops. Also on the property (but across Beach Blvd.) is a replica of Independence Hall.

Ghost Town

Ghost Town is the oldest part of the Knott's amusement park, and includes most of the buildings Walter brought to the property in the 1940's and 1950's. This themed area includes attractions such as a narrow gauge railroad (using much historic equipment from Colorado narrow-gauge lines), a Pan-for-Gold attraction, the Calico Mine Train dark ride, the world's first log flume ride, and a Wild West stunt show. More recently, the much-acclaimed GhostRider wood roller coaster has been added.

Ghost Town itself has a place in history aside from the buildings brought here. The Bird Cage Theatre melodrama attraction (recently closed) has launched many acting careers, including Steve Martin's.

Fiesta Village

Fiesta Village is a Hispanic-themed area which features a number of carnival-style attractions, and the Montezooma's Revenge roller coaster.

The Boardwalk

Originally themed as a gypsy camp, and later re-themed to the "Roaring 20's" and "Knott's Airfield", this area is home to most of the park's major thrill rides, such as the recently constructed Xcelerator, Supreme Scream, and Perilous Plunge. It is also home to the Sky Cabin Tower, which was formerly the Parachute Jump attraction and was, at one time, the tallest structure in Orange County.

Park Annual Events

The park's annual Halloween Haunt event, known as "Knott's Scary Farm", has drawn crowds since 1973. During this event, the entire park (or major portions of it) rethemes itself into a "haunted house" style attraction in the evening. In recent years, even some rides have been modified to fit the theme.

A Christmas event, known as "Knott's Merry Farm" also happens infrequently. Previous "Merry Farm" events have included manufactured snow, handcrafts exhibits, and a "visit with Santa Claus."