Hey there Justin. Born in 1953 and a native Californian I grew up in Stanton, just a stone throw from the park. I will dig through my photos for you. Knott's was my old stomping grounds as a kid. Thank you for that blast from the past.
Thank you for this great detailed video. I loved Knotts Berry farm. Many times went from the late 60's all the way up until 2014. I loved Knotts Berry Farm it was like a world of it's own. I loved the train, soap box derby (maybe still there), the little shops, old western set up, the smell of the place, the bottle room, the room that had many buttons, the chair on the wall (which gave an optical illusion), the old stage coach for carrying dead bodies, the stagecoaches, the farm and especially the chicken that played the piano, RIP Ms. Roo Roo, the tunnel from the parking lot into park. I can go on & on. Yes 2014 was the last time I went and will be the last time I will ever go again. All those things are now either a new ride or just pavement an empty space in areas that once was. Whoever took over really took away the history & wonderful atmosphere of the place. It was so special, but however I am happy today that I was able to see all the exciting things that were once there. Thanks again for your video, it's nice looking back at things before my time too.
I started going to Knott's Berry Farm when I was about 2 or 3 years old in 1955 - 56. We used to go every year and I loved it so much! I so very much miss all the old stuff that they've taken out! I wanted to show all that old stuff to my children and my grandchildren but I can't now because it's all gone!😩
We used to go to Knott's berry farm at least 4 times a year. Back in the early 60,s. The best chicken restaurant in the whole world was Mrs. Knott's. After you were served Mrs. Knott would come out on the floor and talk to all her customers. My Godparents were very good friends of hers so she always took a little extra with us. Very sweet and lovely lady. That is what made her so happy as to how her customers enjoyed her food. As a young girl I felt like I was talking to royalty. So many great memories of the past. I will be going down south next year and I will definitely stop by and grab one of her famous chicken dinners. Times were so good back then. If you have never been or stopped to look around you are really missing something wonderful. I will be going back down this next summer and you can bet I will be getting her famous chicken. Yum, yum
I now work at Knotts at the front gate and have enjoyed over twelve years of this magical place. The Knott family have done more for Orange County than any other. Your vlog is absolutely amazing and I appreciate the research you did before making this fun viewing. I have been a Knotts Berry Farm enthusiast since I was a child so this is really taking me back. And...legend has it that the trellis you showed us is actually a Wisteria vine and was Mrs Knotts contribution to that area. Thank you again. You made this old lady smile ! Nancy
I grew up living 1/2 way between Knott's and Disneyland. My grandparents, parents of of course since I was with them, we all knew Walter Knott and his wife. Ate many meals there, rode the train and remember riding the old San Francisco Cable cars. They had a general store, with a candy counter; which had smoking pipe shaped Licorice I ate many of those pipes. Rode the stage and they had an indian village across from the train. They added the chapel; and booked weddings there. The had an old carousel, live seals and had chickens and peacocks roaming wild around the grounds. Remember them adding the fence and begin charging admission. My view was that since Disneyland had opened and charged admission, a way for them to expand the park faster, was to charge admission. Also went to Aligator Farm and pottery shop. 1/2 mile North, was the Hollywood Wax Museum. To the East on LaPalma, was the Buena Park Center. My mother worked Christmas season a couple of times at the "Sear's & Roebuck's" store (later re-branded as Sear's. Right after they built the Independence Hall, then Vice-President Nixon, who was running for President came and did a campaign speech on a stage Knott's built just for the occasion.
Crazy to see the old photos and movie clips from the 60s... i went to Knotts many times back in the early 60s, and can still remember the smells and sounds of those days... i surely do miss those olden days at Knotts... it was a blast back then... i could tell you some stories of the original FREE Knotts through the late 70s... fun, fun times, so long ago! Thank you Justin for the memories of days long missed... ❤
Thank you for this it brought back so much memories. We lived real close to Knott's back in the 70's my little brother went w/some friends from the neighborhood and he 3 chickens from the park. We never knew until early hrs in the morning long story short my dad made him return the chickens.
My grandma worked at Mrs Knotts chicken diner for many years. She was Walter Knotts favorite waitress and knew him well. I use to talk to her for hours about Knott and Disney who would occasionally join Knott for dinner. My old neighbor was a pool guy in orange County and regularly serviced the Knotts family pool. Mrs. Knotts would give him and his kids park tickets often. They are a wealth of knowledge!
My brother and I keep hoping someone will post a video of the Devil Guy at work. It was a marvelous contraption. A light would turn on. The Devil Guy would turn the crank and cause some piano hammers to hit a window screen. The sound was amplified and came out through a speaker as volcano eruption sounds.
One of those san Francisco cable cars from Knott's is in the back of barn 1 at Orange Empire railway museum. They also have a older cable car that knotts turned into a snack bar too.
The track layout for the cable cars changed over the years. Sometime in the 60's the two loops were combined to make a rough figure eight through both parking lots on that side of Beach Blvd. For a while it ran between Virginia's Gift Shop and the Cable Car Kitchen and along the wall were the main entrance is now. The original main entrance after they built the wall was where the exit currently is. I think the cable cars kept running right up to the building of Camp Snoopy.
I remember when it was free.there was John Wayne theater and independence hall across the street and the gold panning.motts miniatures we see Kenny rogers.doug Kershaw .logins and messina
Knott's history returns to the Wagon Camp. Krazy Kirt and the Hillbilly's are bring back live western type music to the Wagon Camp. These guy are great! The music is fun and its great to heir professional musicians live. The wagon camp music is a part of Knott's Berry farm history and I love to see its return and family's enjoying the shows. please keep it up!
Cars were so much more beautiful back then. I know at the time it was just normal, and time and perspective changes things, but even if you could look at it objectively, they were gorgeous.
This video is really cool I wish you'd talk about the golden Trails hotel when it was a attraction instead of a dress shop it closed in 1992 I think anyway thanks for all the memories this is an awesome video
My boyfriend and I just got back from Knott’s celebrating my birthday. It was our first time going. I went as a baby, barley one years old. So I don’t count going at that time. It was wonderful! I got to drink in the Saloon and watch Can Can Show! I love rollercoasters, but I really found the Ghost Town area the best. Very chill, unlike Disneyland. Love Disney, love old school Disney, but he crowds of today make me not want to go sometimes. I found out also that the Amusement Park in NorCal(Bay Area! Closer to me) California’s Great America is owned by the same company as Knott’s, I can get a season pass for all parks and just visit them all! Definitely will be back to ride more rides and maybe check out the Halloween stuff!
I have a memory of small Model A Ford (I think) cars you could ride around a fenced path in the front of Knotts. It had to be mid to late 60's. I can't find anything about it, Justin's never said anything about it. Does anyone remember what I'm talking about or am I crazy?
Awesome vlog. I did a handful of Knotts vlogs but you put mine to shame. ha ha. Where did you get all the cool footage? Was it from the Knotts vintage facebook page? Or family footage? Great job.
My dad and my uncles grew up going to Knott's Berry Farm, then myself and my two siblings grew up going to Knott's. Knott's Berry Farm is such an integral part of both generations' childhood - I can't believe how much has changed just since I was a wee lass. In family photos alone we have the history of Knott's documented, and it's so wonderful to have this video where all those old attractions my dad and grandma have described to me, I can see for myself. I know it sounds super lame, but it makes me feel kind of closer to my family, because Knott's was an important part of their lives, then an important part of OUR lives, and in this way I can better understand what they experienced back then. Anyways, thanks for this video, I enjoyed it immensely!
I grew up in Lynwood in the 1960s. When I was young, in one of the Ghost Town buildings, there was a diorama/audio show portraying the Knotts family's journey to California in covered wagons. Is that still there? My Grandma wouldn't take me to Disneyland, it was too much walking for her, but she would happily go to Knott's and go on some of the rides, like the mine train and the old mule powered merry go round.
so that was Nick the devil. loved that little guy many moons ago. It had the neatest sound as he turned the crank.... low rumbling thunder. I so glad you filmed this.
I lived at Cerritos and Holder in the 60's and 70's. Graduated from Western High School 1976. I remember free entrance, chickens and ducks wandering the parking lots. Birdcage Theater I saw Elvis and Wolfman Jack perform same night! Impersonators??
I'd been there in 1953, panning for gold on several occasions over the years. You'd never come away empty handed. I'd even managed to find a good sized nugget once. It had to have been nearly an ounce of gold that only cost me 25¢ to pan. The last time I went to Knott's Berry Farm was in about June of 1968. I loved all the effort you've put into this video. After watching your video and several other videos about the Farm, I just told my wife that I'd like to go there for our anniversary this year. I think some of the rides would scare us to death (we're both quite elderly) but the Ghost Town, activities, and food look wonderful, and and would be incredibly refreshing in reminiscing an imaginary, relaxing, and very fun piece of the Old West, in the midst of a modern world. Thank you so much.
Just wanted to say I'm really glad that you're getting a hold of all these old photos/film footage lately and doing these comparisons for theme parks and other such areas! It's great content and the kind of stuff I've always wished someone like you would do. Keep it up.
Omg thank you so much this was such wonderful memories for me growing up as a kid riding the stage coach and train, i remember panning for gold and watching shows at the camp theatre so much fun. And those hidden gems are so awesome such a big part of the history of knotts...
Love it. What a geek. 😂😂😂😂😂❤❤❤
I can close my eyes and smell that green house/ bathroom area😌Love it
Do you remember Jungle Island? The merry go round by the lake? Glass beehives?
Hey there Justin. Born in 1953 and a native Californian I grew up in Stanton, just a stone throw from the park. I will dig through my photos for you. Knott's was my old stomping grounds as a kid. Thank you for that blast from the past.
The biscuits at Knott’s are so good!😋
Thank you for this great detailed video. I loved Knotts Berry farm. Many times went from the late 60's all the way up until 2014. I loved Knotts Berry Farm it was like a world of it's own. I loved the train, soap box derby (maybe still there), the little shops, old western set up, the smell of the place, the bottle room, the room that had many buttons, the chair on the wall (which gave an optical illusion), the old stage coach for carrying dead bodies, the stagecoaches, the farm and especially the chicken that played the piano, RIP Ms. Roo Roo, the tunnel from the parking lot into park. I can go on & on. Yes 2014 was the last time I went and will be the last time I will ever go again. All those things are now either a new ride or just pavement an empty space in areas that once was. Whoever took over really took away the history & wonderful atmosphere of the place. It was so special, but however I am happy today that I was able to see all the exciting things that were once there. Thanks again for your video, it's nice looking back at things before my time too.
Those the then and now fotos are priceless 💎 gems!!..I love 💕 all of them 😘
I remember it well. Excellent work!
As always, a GREAT Narration Justin!🤙
I started going to Knott's Berry Farm when I was about 2 or 3 years old in 1955 - 56. We used to go every year and I loved it so much! I so very much miss all the old stuff that they've taken out! I wanted to show all that old stuff to my children and my grandchildren but I can't now because it's all gone!😩
I love these then and nows! Keep it up!!
We used to go to Knott's berry farm at least 4 times a year. Back in the early 60,s. The best chicken restaurant in the whole world was Mrs. Knott's. After you were served Mrs. Knott would come out on the floor and talk to all her customers. My Godparents were very good friends of hers so she always took a little extra with us. Very sweet and lovely lady. That is what made her so happy as to how her customers enjoyed her food. As a young girl I felt like I was talking to royalty. So many great memories of the past. I will be going down south next year and I will definitely stop by and grab one of her famous chicken dinners. Times were so good back then. If you have never been or stopped to look around you are really missing something wonderful. I will be going back down this next summer and you can bet I will be getting her famous chicken. Yum, yum
Great job! Love these
I remember standing on the grave in the cemetery with the beating heart sound. Cool.
Great time travel. Thanks for all the history.
Always, always ALWAYS! Entertaining and educational! Don't quit!
I wish TH-cam gave out Emmys because you seriously deserve one for this series.
This place has a SOUL that THE MOUSE up the road will never have.
Love these then and now videos
Im so glad I found your channel. Is awesome to see the vintage Knotts.
Subscribing right now!
I now work at Knotts at the front gate and have enjoyed over twelve years of this magical place. The Knott family have done more for Orange County than any other. Your vlog is absolutely amazing and I appreciate the research you did before making this fun viewing. I have been a Knotts Berry Farm enthusiast since I was a child so this is really taking me back. And...legend has it that the trellis you showed us is actually a Wisteria vine and was Mrs Knotts contribution to that area. Thank you again. You made this old lady smile !
Nancy
the touch with the gun was class.
Knott's Berry Farm and others should be paying you guys for all this documentary work.
You really worked hard on this video! So cool! Thanks for sharing
I grew up living 1/2 way between Knott's and Disneyland. My grandparents, parents of of course since I was with them, we all knew Walter Knott and his wife. Ate many meals there, rode the train and remember riding the old San Francisco Cable cars. They had a general store, with a candy counter; which had smoking pipe shaped Licorice I ate many of those pipes. Rode the stage and they had an indian village across from the train. They added the chapel; and booked weddings there. The had an old carousel, live seals and had chickens and peacocks roaming wild around the grounds. Remember them adding the fence and begin charging admission. My view was that since Disneyland had opened and charged admission, a way for them to expand the park faster, was to charge admission. Also went to Aligator Farm and pottery shop. 1/2 mile North, was the Hollywood Wax Museum. To the East on LaPalma, was the Buena Park Center. My mother worked Christmas season a couple of times at the "Sear's & Roebuck's" store (later re-branded as Sear's. Right after they built the Independence Hall, then Vice-President Nixon, who was running for President came and did a campaign speech on a stage Knott's built just for the occasion.
Memories of childhood. Very cool!
Crazy to see the old photos and movie clips from the 60s... i went to Knotts many times back in the early 60s, and can still remember the smells and sounds of those days... i surely do miss those olden days at Knotts... it was a blast back then... i could tell you some stories of the original FREE Knotts through the late 70s... fun, fun times, so long ago! Thank you Justin for the memories of days long missed... ❤
You're at you best with park history, can't wait to see your Disney research... I Love this stuff...keep them coming
Fantastic video.
So so good!
Thank you for this it brought back so much memories. We lived real close to Knott's back in the 70's my little brother went w/some friends from the neighborhood and he 3 chickens from the park. We never knew until early hrs in the morning long story short my dad made him return the chickens.
Thank you loved it!
I still have a picture of me with a old Indian chief at Knotts in 1975.
Good video 👍👍😎😎
I liked! And I’m subbed!
Love your videos dude!
Awesome!
Justin would be an incredible tour guide
:O love you Justin!!!!!!
My grandma worked at Mrs Knotts chicken diner for many years. She was Walter Knotts favorite waitress and knew him well. I use to talk to her for hours about Knott and Disney who would occasionally join Knott for dinner. My old neighbor was a pool guy in orange County and regularly serviced the Knotts family pool. Mrs. Knotts would give him and his kids park tickets often. They are a wealth of knowledge!
Very Very Fun!!
I loved riding those old cars next to the hi-way because people would honk when you waved at them!!
Awesome video... now i wanna go ASAP ...
awesome video man.
My brother and I keep hoping someone will post a video of the Devil Guy at work. It was a marvelous contraption. A light would turn on. The Devil Guy would turn the crank and cause some piano hammers to hit a window screen. The sound was amplified and came out through a speaker as volcano eruption sounds.
That is so cool I never knew that
Nice job, a double watcher.
Omg this was posted on my birthday 🎂
I have NEVER been to Knotts Berry Farm in my life, but I think this is way cool!
This is pretty neat
After seeing any of your Knotts videos, I feel like I should go back to the place.
One of those san Francisco cable cars from Knott's is in the back of barn 1 at Orange Empire railway museum. They also have a older cable car that knotts turned into a snack bar too.
The track layout for the cable cars changed over the years. Sometime in the 60's the two loops were combined to make a rough figure eight through both parking lots on that side of Beach Blvd. For a while it ran between Virginia's Gift Shop and the Cable Car Kitchen and along the wall were the main entrance is now. The original main entrance after they built the wall was where the exit currently is. I think the cable cars kept running right up to the building of Camp Snoopy.
I feel like I just went to Knotts!!
Whaaaaattt! I was there yesterday! Awe i wish i met you!!!!
My grandfather's first cousin, Lock Martin, was 7 ft. 7 in. tall and worked at Knott's Berry Farm as a cowboy.
12:14 “but by the 1940s Walter Knott has become a BUILDING MANIAC!!!” So funny!!
I know my dad filmed some stuff from the 80s which I know isn't as cool as 50s stuff but that was still 3 decades ago so pretty cool
I remember when it was free.there was John Wayne theater and independence hall across the street and the gold panning.motts miniatures we see Kenny rogers.doug Kershaw .logins and messina
great
I loved the old mine and pan for gold. I hated when they got rid of it.
I wanna go to Knotts now.
Knott's history returns to the Wagon Camp. Krazy Kirt and the Hillbilly's are bring back live western type music to the Wagon Camp. These guy are great! The music is fun and its great to heir professional musicians live. The wagon camp music is a part of Knott's Berry farm history and I love to see its return and family's enjoying the shows. please keep it up!
I remember when I was a kid, there was the Haunted Shack where water ran uphill and the room that shrank when you walked into it.
Cars were so much more beautiful back then. I know at the time it was just normal, and time and perspective changes things, but even if you could look at it objectively, they were gorgeous.
Was at Disneyland and went past Knotts last week. The 14th of August to be precise :D
This video is really cool I wish you'd talk about the golden Trails hotel when it was a attraction instead of a dress shop it closed in 1992 I think anyway thanks for all the memories this is an awesome video
Awesome video! FYI, that's not Ivy.
Those cable cars lasted well into the mid 1960s. :) 😉
I bought year passes for Knotts just to pan for gold its still real gold !
JustinScared should go to adventuredome.
My boyfriend and I just got back from Knott’s celebrating my birthday. It was our first time going. I went as a baby, barley one years old. So I don’t count going at that time. It was wonderful! I got to drink in the Saloon and watch Can Can Show! I love rollercoasters, but I really found the Ghost Town area the best. Very chill, unlike Disneyland. Love Disney, love old school Disney, but he crowds of today make me not want to go sometimes. I found out also that the Amusement Park in NorCal(Bay Area! Closer to me) California’s Great America is owned by the same company as Knott’s, I can get a season pass for all parks and just visit them all! Definitely will be back to ride more rides and maybe check out the Halloween stuff!
Excellent video, thanks for posting, much appreciated : )
The Claim Jumper is more fitting.
The pottery store was still there in the 1980's
I remember the original version to knotts
I have a memory of small Model A Ford (I think) cars you could ride around a fenced path in the front of Knotts. It had to be mid to late 60's. I can't find anything about it, Justin's never said anything about it. Does anyone remember what I'm talking about or am I crazy?
Grandpa took me to Knott's Berry Farm every Sunday back when admission was free.
Golly gee this is a rip roarin’ video!! Thanks so much for creating and sharing!
Awesome vlog. I did a handful of Knotts vlogs but you put mine to shame. ha ha. Where did you get all the cool footage? Was it from the Knotts vintage facebook page? Or family footage? Great job.
My dad and my uncles grew up going to Knott's Berry Farm, then myself and my two siblings grew up going to Knott's. Knott's Berry Farm is such an integral part of both generations' childhood - I can't believe how much has changed just since I was a wee lass. In family photos alone we have the history of Knott's documented, and it's so wonderful to have this video where all those old attractions my dad and grandma have described to me, I can see for myself. I know it sounds super lame, but it makes me feel kind of closer to my family, because Knott's was an important part of their lives, then an important part of OUR lives, and in this way I can better understand what they experienced back then. Anyways, thanks for this video, I enjoyed it immensely!
I grew up in Lynwood in the 1960s. When I was young, in one of the Ghost Town buildings, there was a diorama/audio show portraying the Knotts family's journey to California in covered wagons. Is that still there? My Grandma wouldn't take me to Disneyland, it was too much walking for her, but she would happily go to Knott's and go on some of the rides, like the mine train and the old mule powered merry go round.
I know it!!!
so that was Nick the devil. loved that little guy many moons ago. It had the neatest sound as he turned the crank.... low rumbling thunder. I so glad you filmed this.
I always love your historic videos
I lived at Cerritos and Holder in the 60's and 70's. Graduated from Western High School 1976. I remember free entrance, chickens and ducks wandering the parking lots. Birdcage Theater I saw Elvis and Wolfman Jack perform same night! Impersonators??
The beehive was made of glass , so one could see the bees...Thousands of them!
I remember the Alligator Farm next door to Knotts
My grandma used to work with Mrs. Knotts herself in the chicken diner back before it was a amusement park.
Really..................
I have one of their older cookbooks, my favorite fried chicken recipe.
My sister used to work at the chicken dinner restaurant.
My grandmother was good friends with Mrs. Knott also. The gravy that was served in the restaurant was my grandmother's recipe.
I'd been there in 1953, panning for gold on several occasions over the years. You'd never come away empty handed. I'd even managed to find a good sized nugget once. It had to have been nearly an ounce of gold that only cost me 25¢ to pan. The last time I went to Knott's Berry Farm was in about June of 1968. I loved all the effort you've put into this video. After watching your video and several other videos about the Farm, I just told my wife that I'd like to go there for our anniversary this year. I think some of the rides would scare us to death (we're both quite elderly) but the Ghost Town, activities, and food look wonderful, and and would be incredibly refreshing in reminiscing an imaginary, relaxing, and very fun piece of the Old West, in the midst of a modern world. Thank you so much.
I love knotts history thanks for helping keep the interest in it alive
Thanks so much for making this video! I just love the history of Knotts. I hope to go see it in person one day!
That was my family's alligator farm!
Awesome Justin. Love the history you provided. Great voices.
Just wanted to say I'm really glad that you're getting a hold of all these old photos/film footage lately and doing these comparisons for theme parks and other such areas! It's great content and the kind of stuff I've always wished someone like you would do. Keep it up.
Outstanding work, once again. Thank you for putting the research and time into showing us the world in a new way.
Great video! Love these history oriented stories. I know you have more in store - please keep them coming!! This is exactly why I am a Patreon!!
Fantastic video!
really awesome history and video.
Omg thank you so much this was such wonderful memories for me growing up as a kid riding the stage coach and train, i remember panning for gold and watching shows at the camp theatre so much fun. And those hidden gems are so awesome such a big part of the history of knotts...