History of Knott's Berry Farm in Timeline

Knott's Berry Farm, a 57-acre amusement park in Buena Park, California, is owned and operated by Six Flags. Ranking as the twelfth-most-visited theme park in North America as of March 2015, it attracts approximately 4 million visitors annually. The park boasts over 40 rides, encompassing a diverse range of attractions such as roller coasters, family rides, dark rides, and water rides, offering entertainment for a wide spectrum of park guests.

1920: Knott Family Moves to Buena Park

In 1920, Walter Knott and his family moved to Buena Park, establishing a berry farm on the land that would eventually become Knott's Berry Farm.

1923: Roadside Berry Stand Opens

Around 1923, the Knott family started selling berries, preserves, and pies from a roadside stand called Knott’s Berry Place, laying the foundation for the future amusement park.

June 1934: Fried Chicken Dinners Introduced

In June 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room, which later became "Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant," marking a major turning point in the park's history.

1940: Construction of Ghost Town Begins

In 1940, Walter Knott began constructing a replica Ghost Town on the property, marking the beginning of the modern-day theme park.

1941: Paul von Klieben Joins Knott's

In 1941, Paul von Klieben joined Knott's Berry Farm as a staff artist, playing a key role in the creation of Ghost Town.

1941: Ghost Town Opens

In 1941, the replica Ghost Town opened at Knott's Berry Farm, setting the stage for its transformation into a theme park.

1943: Von Klieben Becomes Art Director

In 1943, Paul von Klieben became the art director at Knott's Berry Farm, further solidifying his influence on the park's design.

1947: Park Officially Named

In 1947, the roadside attraction was officially named Knott's Berry Farm.

1951: Walter Knott Buys Ghost Town

In 1951, Walter Knott bought more of the actual ghost town of Calico, California and developed it.

1951: Portrait Artists Date Back to Knott's

Portrait artists have a long history at Knott's, dating back to 1951.

1953: Von Klieben's Tenure Ends

In 1953, Paul von Klieben's tenure as art director at Knott's Berry Farm ended, marking the conclusion of his significant contributions to the park's aesthetic.

1956: Western Trails Museum Collection Arrives

In 1956, Walter Knott arranged for Marion Speer to bring his Western Trails Museum collection to Knott's Berry Farm, enhancing the historical authenticity of Ghost Town.

1964: Goldwater Rally at Knott's

In 1964, Knott's Berry Farm hosted the final rally for Barry Goldwater prior to the Republican primary election in California, featuring speakers including Goldwater and Ronald Reagan.

1964: Free Speech Movement Begins

In 1964, the Free Speech Movement began at the University of California at Berkeley, contrasting with the idealized past represented at Knott's Berry Farm.

1966: Ghost Town Donated to County

In 1966, Walter Knott donated the Ghost Town property to the County of San Bernardino, which then made the town of Calico into a public historic park.

1968: Admission Price Required for Ghost Town

In 1968, Knott's Berry Farm implemented an admission price for Ghost Town, set at $1 for adults and 25¢ for children, ostensibly to manage park access.

1968: Admission Charge Added

In 1968, an admission charge was added to Knott's Berry Farm, marking a shift from a free-entry attraction to a paid theme park.

1969: Fiesta Village Built

In 1969, Fiesta Village was built under the pretense of a Mexican theme to pay tribute to California's Spanish and Mexican heritage.

1969: Marion Speer Retires

In 1969, Marion Speer retired as curator of the Western Trails Museum collection at Knott's Berry Farm at the age of 84, concluding his contributions to the park's historical exhibits.

1969: Calico Log Ride Opens

In 1969, the Calico Log Ride (later known as the Timber Mountain Log Ride) opened at Knott's Berry Farm, enhancing the park's ride offerings.

1973: Inaugural Knott's Scary Farm

Knott's Scary Farm began drawing crowds in 1973. The event was created by Bill Hollingshead, Gary Salisbury, Martha Boyd and Gene Witham, along with other members of the Knott's Berry Farm Entertainment Department. Bud Hurlbut dressed up in a gorilla suit and scared guests on the Mine Ride.

1973: Beginnings of Halloween Haunt

Season of Screams traces the beginnings of Halloween Haunt back in 1973.

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April 12, 1974: Death of Cordelia Knott

On April 12, 1974, Cordelia Knott passed away, leading Walter Knott to focus on political causes and retheming efforts within the park.

1976: Motorcycle Chase Opens

In 1976, Motorcycle Chase, a steeplechase rollercoaster, opened at Knott's Berry Farm, offering a unique racing experience until its retheming.

1976: Sky Jump Opens

In 1976, the Sky Jump opened at Knott's Berry Farm, offering riders a thrilling drop experience until its closure in 1999.

1980: Motorcycle Chase Rethemed

In 1980, the Motorcycle Chase was rethemed as Wacky Soap Box Racers due to rider safety concerns.

December 3, 1981: Death of Walter Knott

On December 3, 1981, Walter Knott died, leaving his children to continue operating Knott's Berry Farm as a family business.

1982: Elvira Joins Halloween Haunt

In 1982, Elvira (actress Cassandra Peterson) was introduced into the Halloween Event and was featured in many Halloween Haunt events until 2001.

1983: Charlene Parker Portrays Green Witch

In 1983, Charlene Parker began portraying the Green Witch, a character at Knott's Scary Farm, and continued in the role until 2017.

1983: Snoopy Becomes Mascot

In 1983, Snoopy became the mascot of Knott's Berry Farm.

1985: Creation of Knott's Merry Farm

In the fall of 1985, Gary Salisbury created Knott's Merry Farm, a Christmas event at Knott's Berry Farm.

1986: Claude Bell Ends Operation of Portrait Concession

In 1986, Claude Bell ended his operation of the portrait concession at Knott's, which he had run since 1951.

1987: Kingdom of the Dinosaurs Opens

In 1987, Knott's Berry Farm opened Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, a primeval retheme of Knott's Bear-y Tales.

1988: Calico River Rapids Opened

Calico River Rapids opened in 1988, it was refurbished with a new theme for the 2019 season.

1988: Bigfoot Rapids Opens

In 1988, Knott's Berry Farm opened Bigfoot Rapids, a whitewater river rafting ride in the new themed area Wild Water Wilderness.

1990: Boomerang Replaces Corkscrew

In 1990, the Boomerang roller coaster replaced Corkscrew at Knott's Berry Farm, offering riders six inversions each trip.

1994: Mystery Lodge Opens

In 1994, Knott's Berry Farm opened the Mystery Lodge, a live show inspired by the "Spirit Lodge" pavilion from Expo 86, enhanced with Pepper's ghost and special effects.

June 17, 1995: Jaguar! Opens

On June 17, 1995, the Jaguar! roller coaster opened at Knott's Berry Farm, adding to the attractions in Fiesta Village.

1995: Food Business Sold to ConAgra Inc

In 1995, the Knott family sold the food specialty business to ConAgra Inc, later resold to The J.M. Smucker Company in 2008.

1996: Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers Removed

In 1996, Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers was removed to make way for the dueling loop coaster Windjammer Surf Racers.

December 29, 1997: Amusement Park Sold to Cedar Fair

On December 29, 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations of Knott's Berry Farm to Cedar Fair.

1997: Sale to Cedar Fair

In 1997, Knott's Berry Farm was sold to Cedar Fair for $300 million, changing the ownership of the park.

1999: Sky Jump Closes

In 1999, the Sky Jump at Knott's Berry Farm closed, ending its run as a thrilling attraction.

June 17, 2000: Knott's Soak City Opens

Knott's Soak City water park opened on June 17, 2000, originally named Soak City U.S. It requires a separate admission from Knott's Berry Farm.

2000: World's Largest Johnny Rockets Opens

In 2000, the world's largest Johnny Rockets restaurant opened at Knott's Boardwalk.

2001: Elvira's Departure from Halloween Haunt

In 2001, Elvira (actress Cassandra Peterson) departed from the Halloween Haunt events at Knott's Berry Farm.

2004: Church of Reflections Moved

In 2004, the Church of Reflections was moved outside the theme park.

2004: Hotel Renamed

In 2004, the Radisson Resort Hotel was renamed the Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel.

2008: Food Brand Resold to Smucker

In 2008, ConAgra Inc resold the Knott's Berry Farm food brand to The J.M. Smucker Company.

2008: Pony Express Installed

In 2008, the Pony Express, a horse-themed family roller coaster, was installed in Wild Water Wilderness.

2010: Church of Reflections Services End

In 2010, the Church of Reflections held non-denominational Sunday services for the last time.

September 2012: Perilous Plunge Closes

In September 2012, Perilous Plunge at Knott's Berry Farm, once the tallest and steepest water ride in the world, was closed and removed.

September 2012: Perilous Plunge Closes for Boardwalk Expansion

In September 2012, Perilous Plunge, a major thrill ride at Knott's Berry Farm, closed for an expansion of the Boardwalk.

2012: Elvira's Return for 40th Anniversary

In 2012, Elvira (actress Cassandra Peterson) returned for one night to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Halloween Haunt event.

2012: WindSeeker Relocates

In 2012, the WindSeeker was relocated from Knott's Berry Farm to Worlds of Fun, briefly holding the distinction of being the tallest structure in Orange County.

May 25, 2013: New Family Rides Added

On May 25, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm added three new family rides, including Coast Rider, Pacific Scrambler, and Surfside Gliders, to the Boardwalk section.

November 2013: Berry Market Preserves Sold

In November 2013, Knott's Berry Farm began selling its "Berry Market" brand of preserves at the park. They are unable to use "Knott's" on the label since Smucker's owns the rights to the name.

November 22, 2013: Camp Snoopy Improvements Announced

On November 22, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced major improvements in the area of Camp Snoopy.

2013: Timber Mountain Log Ride Refurbishment Announced

In 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced that the Timber Mountain Log Ride would undergo a significant five-month refurbishment led by Garner Holt Productions, Inc.

2013: String Lights Added to Fiesta Village

In 2013, colorful string lights were added to Fiesta Village for the summer season.

2014: Elvira's Nightly Show

From 2014 to 2017, Elvira (actress Cassandra Peterson) featured in a nightly show at Knott's Scary Farm.

2014: Calico Mine Ride Refurbishment

In 2014, the historical Calico Mine Ride at Knott's Berry Farm underwent a major refurbishment completed in six months.

2014: New Rides Open in Camp Snoopy

In the summer of 2014, Knott's Berry Farm opened up new rides in Camp Snoopy.

March 2015: Park Ranking

In March 2015, Knott's Berry Farm was ranked as the twelfth-most-visited theme park in North America, averaging approximately 4 million visitors per year.

September 28, 2016: FearVR: 5150 Attraction Closed

On September 28, 2016, FearVR: 5150, a virtual reality attraction at Knott's Scary Farm, was permanently closed after controversy regarding its portrayal of mental illness. The attraction was closed six days after its debut.

2017: Charlene Parker's Last Performance as Green Witch

In 2017, Charlene Parker gave her last performance as the Green Witch at Knott's Scary Farm, after portraying the character since 1983.

2017: Boomerang Roller Coaster Removed

In 2017, the Boomerang roller coaster was removed from the Boardwalk to make way for HangTime.

2019: Calico River Rapids Refurbished

In 2019, Calico River Rapids was refurbished with a new theme for the season.

March 13, 2020: Park Shutdown Due to COVID-19

On March 13, 2020, Knott's Berry Farm was indefinitely shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of its operating day.

June 2020: Knott's Marketplace Reopens

In June 2020, Knott's Marketplace reopened with new health guidelines in place.

December 2020: Taste of Merry Farm Canceled

In December 2020, the Taste of Merry Farm event was canceled due to the regional stay-at-home order issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom.

2020: Charles M. Schulz Theater Renamed

In 2020, as part of a refurbishment for the park's 100th anniversary, the Charles M. Schulz Theater was renamed the Walter Knott Theater, with new LED signage added to the marquee.

May 6, 2021: Knott's Berry Farm Returns to Normal Operation

On May 6, 2021, Knott's Berry Farm returned to normal operation, including the debut of the delayed Knott's Bear-y Tales attraction that was originally planned for 2020.

2021: Seasonal Entertainments at the Bird Cage Theatre

During the 2021 season of "Knott's Merry Farm", The Bird Cage Theatre hosted two small productions: "Marley's Wings" and "A Christmas Carol".

2022: Seasonal Entertainments at the Bird Cage Theatre

During the 2022 season of "Knott's Merry Farm", The Bird Cage Theatre hosted two small productions: "The Gift of the Magi" and "A Christmas Carol".

January 2024: Smucker's Discontinues Knott's Berry Farm Brand

In January 2024, Smucker's discontinued the rest of the Knott's Berry Farm brand after low sales.

July 1, 2024: Cedar Fair Merges with Six Flags

On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags, and the combined Six Flags Entertainment Corporation took over Knott's Berry Farm, making them part of the same company as Six Flags Magic Mountain.