45 Years Ago on the 4th of July

I started to do this post yesterday, the 4th of July, but I didn't have my disk with the images with me. So here it is a day late.
July 4, 1966 was the dedication of Independence Hall at Knott's Berry Farm. This was the realization of Walter Knott's dream. The following are some articles about the construction and some of the promotional materials.
First up is the back cover of the July/August 1965 issue of The Knotty Post showing Walter Knott presenting the plans for Independence Hall to the Buena Park Building Department.

Next is an item is from the January/February 1966 issue of The Knotty Post with an article about the making of the bricks.

And the next article is from the March/April 1966 The Knotty Post about putting on the finishing touches.

The next items are of the dedication program.

The next two items are a couple of three panel brochures. The first one was probably made up before the Hall was finished since it has the concept drawing on the front. The second is in color, has photos and there's a date of 7/69 on it.

The last printed item is the Independence Hall souvenir booklet.

I'm going to finish up with a couple of nice photos of Independence Hall.

 

Knott's Roaring 20s Airfield 35 Years Ago (Continued)

To continue with the opening of the Roaring 20s Airfield 35 years ago, here is the employee newsletter showing some of the Grand Opening activities.

Now some pictures from the Airfield area. First some pictures of the Sky Jump or parachute ride.



Here's a picture of Gasoline Alley.

Now a shot of the Motorcycle Chase.

Here's the Loop Trainer.

Here's the airplane that was flown in for the Grand Opening then put on display.

Now here's the Pilot's Rec Area.

This last picture is of the winner of some radio contest. Here's PR release that went with the photo:

Mrs. Sofia G. Urias of Los Angeles has won the grand prize--a 1976 Dodge Colt station wagon--as winner of the Knott's Berry Farm-KWKW radio contest.

Loading her with cases of Knott's products are (l) Done Oliphant, grandson of Walter Knott and a general partner and the director of the Food Products Division at Knott's with Dick Burns Sales Manager for Knott's Food Product Division.

Molre than 4,000 entries were received in the promotion which awarded over $11,000 in prizes including radios, television sets, Knott's gift packs and tickets to the worlds third largest amusement park, Knott's Berry Farm.

Those must be the "light" variety of the jams, the way the guys are holding those boxes with just one hand.





Knott's Roaring 20s Airfield 35 Years Ago

I'm a little in getting this post done but better late than never. It was 35 years ago June 12 that the Knott's Roaring 20s Airfield opened. I starting off with some of the pre-opening materials and photos.
First up is an employee newsletter from May 3, 1976. It describes the details of the area along with the artist's concept drawings of the attractions.

Next is the cover to "Good Time Gazette" the map/entertainment handout of at the time. Again it has pictures of conceptual drawings and a advertisement for the Bear-y Tales storybook.

The next item is a half page flyer.

And the next item is a promotional button that employees wore. It was made of cardboard with a pin taped to the back.

Now here are some photos from the construction of the Sky Jump tower. The first couple photos look like they could have been taken just a couple of months ago, if you didn't know better.

Here's a newspaper article from the Buena Park News about area about to open at Knott's.

I will finish this post tomorrow with some pictures and items about the opening.

100 YEARS AGO

June 3, 1911 was a hot summer day in Pomona, California and was particularly stuffy in the parlor of the home of the Reverend Millikan, where the Reverend was about to join a young couple in marriage. The young couple was Walter Knott and Cordelia Hornaday. Both were just 21 years old, Cordelia was dressed in a white embroidered organdy grown with lace trim and long sleeves, and Walter in a dark pin stripe suit and white shirt. They were all who was present for the small simple ceremony. 
 

Cordelia L. (Hornaday) and Walter M. Knott on their wedding day June 3, 1911.

It took Walter over five years of persistence to get Cordelia to agree to marry him. For Walter it was pretty much love at first sight, when he and Cordelia  were enrolled in the same typing class in high school. Walter left high school after his sophomore year and went to California’s Imperial Valley to work and perfect his farming skills. All the while they stayed in touch with each other by writing letters back and forth. After two years Walter returned to Pomona with $500, a new confidence and assurance. He started to pursue his courtship of “Cordy”, as he would call her, more seriously. Walter would rent a horse and buggy, for a $1.50 a day, so they could take rides through the countryside. He would bring her a box of candy and they going would go to concerts in the park. All this time Walter would ask, “Cordy, when are you to marry me?” Cordy would always answer the same way with, “Oh, no, I’m too little”, her way of saying she was too young. Until, one day she finally said “Yes!” And the rest as they say is history. Walter and Cordelia Knott were married for over 60 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Knott in front of the "original" berry stand in 1971 during their 60th anniversary year.