Hi all, I am looking for detailed history on the original Knotts berry farm/place when the family still owned it, also any pics. I have a book that is really good called "Walter Knott: Keeper of the flame by Helen Kooiman" but am looking for even more indepth info especially on attractions or other things that are no longer at the park. OR if you know how to contact Helen kooiman I would appreciate that too as she did some extensive interviewing of the family including Walter Knott when he was still alive.

I did a, I mean, my son did a report on Knott's a few years back. Mostly just by searching and checking each post I could, I found photos.

Also, maybe check out the Buena Park Visitors Bureau? Might have things on there.

Really a fascinating story. I love it. I have friends who lived up there back when who tell me that the park used to be free. I guess you just had to pay for the rides.

Thanks Mousewife! I am making a theme park fanzine and am looking at doing a future issue on Knotts past. I have one of the university's that has a huge amount of old radio shows looking for a certain show for me in which Knott appeared talking about the farm in the late 30's early 40's. It was a big piece of advertising for Knotts as it was a national radio show they were on, and many people first heard about the farm through it. But I need to nail down a more specific date that the show aired so I can find it, so need to figure out when he travelled to new york for that show.
Now is there some library or something I can contact being out of state, that I can have them search newspaper records? I am sure it was probably news when he went ot New York, so am hoping I can perhaps track it that way.
Also I would like to find every issue of the "Ghost Town News"(knotts semi-monthly publication about the old west, and tidbits on the "farm") , and the employee newspaper (forgot the name right now) where he personally wrote articles about all kinds of things including the farm to keep employees abreast of what was going on. If anyone has any idea where I can get copies or information from these please let me know.

Wow, that is intense!!

Ah, I would think, again, that the Buena Park CVB should be able to help point you in the right direction.

Or, try e-mailing guest relations at Knott's Berry Farm.

http://www.soakcityusa.com/

Someone there might also be able to hook you up.

Good luck!!

Although it is down now, there is a site called Bear-y Tales that had all kinds of Knott's trivia. It should be back up soon, but you should contact the webmaster:

www.westcoaster.net/knotts
aka
www.bear-ytales.com