Editing Knott's Berry Farm (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Knott's Berry Farm}}

===Origin===
[[File:Timber Mountain Log Ride.jpg|thumb|The Timber Mountain Log Ride is one of Knott's Berry Farm's most popular rides.]]
The park sits on the site of a former berry farm established by [[Walter Knott]] and his family. Beginning in 1923,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Breaking New Ground The Early Years of Knott's Berry Farm&nbsp;– Orange County Historical Society |url=https://www.orangecountyhistory.org/wp/?page_id=251 |access-date=December 23, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> the Knott family sold berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand along [[California State Route 39|State Route 39]]. In June 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property, later named "Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant."<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 5, 2009 |title=75 years of Mrs. Knott's chicken |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2009/06/05/75-years-of-mrs-knotts-chicken/ |access-date=December 29, 2022 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}</ref> The dinners soon became a major tourist draw, and the Knotts built several shops and other attractions to entertain visitors waiting for a seat in the restaurant. In 1940, Walter Knott began constructing a replica Ghost Town on the property, the beginning of the present-day theme park. Ghost Town was Walter Knott's tribute to the pioneers, which included his own grandparents who came to California in a covered wagon from Texas in 1868 (when his mother was about four years old).<ref>Holmes, Roger and Bailey, Paul.  ''Fabulous Farmer: The Story of Water Knott and his Berry Farm,'' pp. 20–21, 125–6, Westernlore Publishers, Los Angeles, California, 1956.</ref><ref>Nygaard, Norman E.  ''Walter Knott: Twentieth Century Pioneer,'' pp. 16–17, 93–94, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1965.</ref><ref>Kooiman, Helen.  ''Walter Knott: Keeper of the Flame,'' pp. 3–4, 100–1, Plycon Press, Fullerton, California, 1973.</ref><ref>Merritt, Christopher and Lynxwiler, Eric.  ''Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm,'' Knott's 100th Anniversary Edition, p. 39, Angel City Press, 2015.  {{ISBN|978-1-62640-085-6}}.</ref>  The idea of an amusement park picked up in the 1950s when Walter Knott opened a "summer-long county fair."<ref name=":1">Brigandi, Phil.  ''Orange County Chronicles'', pp. 117–132, The History Press, Charleston, South Carolina, 2013.  {{ISBN|978-1-62619-133-4}}.</ref>
[[File:Knott's Berry Farm-Prospector on Signpost, with Mule.gif|thumb|left|Knott's first theme park logo, composed of a prospector with a pack mule]]
[[File:Wood carver Andy Anderson with Sad Eye Joe, 1941.jpg|thumb|Wood carver [[H. S. "Andy" Anderson]] with Sad Eye Joe in the Ghost Town area of the park, 1941]]

[[Paul von Klieben]] was Walter Knott's key employee in the creation of the Ghost Town at Knott's Berry Farm and the restoration of the ghost town of [[Calico, California]]. In 1941, he joined Knott's as a staff artist, then served as art director there from 1943 to 1953. He traveled to [[ghost town]]s in the West, conducted research, and designed most of the Ghost Town section of Knott's Berry Farm. He created concept art for most of the buildings that were built there. He also drew up floor plans, oversaw the construction of buildings, and even spent some time painting concrete to look like natural rock. His Old West paintings and murals adorned the walls of many structures in the park, and a number of them still do.  His art was also used extensively in Knott's newspapers, menus, brochures, catalogs and other publications.<ref>Merritt, Christopher and Lynxwiler, J. Eric.  ''Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm,'' pp. 48–61, Angel City Press, 2015.  {{ISBN|978-1-62640-085-6}}.</ref><ref>Woodson, Weldon D.  "Saga of a Ghost Town Artist", ''Design'' magazine, pp. 24–7, Vol. 73, Issue 6, 1972.</ref><ref>Stack, Ken.  Stack's Liberty Ranch Collection, Volume Two, pp. 84–5, Stack's Liberty Ranch, 2020.</ref><ref>Kooiman, Helen.  ''Walter Knott: Keeper of the Flame,'' p. 103, Plycon Press, Fullerton, California, 1973.</ref>

In 1956, Walter Knott arranged with [[Marion Speer]] to bring his Western Trails Museum collection to Knott's Berry Farm.  Speer had been an enthusiastic supporter of Walter Knott's efforts to create Ghost Town, and had written articles for Knott's newspaper, the ''Ghost Town News.''  In 1956, twenty years after creating his museum, Marion Speer (at age 72) donated the carefully cataloged collection of 30,000 items to Knott's in return for Knott's housing it, displaying it and naming Speer as curator.  Speer continued in that position until he retired in 1969 at the age of 84.<ref>"Western Trails Museum Opens to Public", ''The Knotty Post'', p. 8, November 1956, Knotts Berry Farm, Buena Park, California.</ref><ref name="Merritt pp. 98-99">Merritt, Christopher and Lynxwiler, J. Eric.  ''Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm,'' pp. 98–99, Angel City Press, Santa Monica, California.  {{ISBN|978-1-883318-97-0}}.</ref><ref>Heywood, Mike.  ''Walter Knott and Family: Knott's Berry Farm,'' p. 112-3, Mike Heywood, 2021.</ref><ref>Epting, Chris.  "In the Pipeline: House of history under our noses", ''Daily Pilot'', January 5, 2011, Los Angeles, California.</ref><ref>Lewis, Jack.  "Guns that Also Won the West", ''Gun World'', p. 17, May 1962, Gallant Publishing Company, Covina, California.</ref>
[[File:Orange County Archives, Western Trails Museum, Knott's Berry Farm, ca 1983.jpg|thumb|left|The original [[Marion Speer|Western Trails Museum]] building at Knott's was either made of rammed-earth construction or concrete made to look like rammed-earth. This construction technique is fireproof and was used in the old mining town of Calico, California. This {{Circa|1983}} photo is courtesy of the Orange County Archives.]]

The museum was once housed in a building (which has since been razed) at Knott's Berry Farm between Jeffries Barn (now known as the Wilderness Dance Hall) and the schoolhouse.  The Western Trails Museum at Knott's is now just south of the saloon in Ghost Town.<ref>Western Trails Museum Now Open!, ''The Berry Vine'', 1993, Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California.</ref><ref name="Merritt pp. 98-99"/><ref>Jennings, Jay.  Knott's Berry Farm: The Early Years, pp. 106–7, Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina, 2009.  {{ISBN|978-0-7385-6921-5}}.</ref>

The park became a popular destination for conservative college students in the 1960s, especially as conservative organizations like the California Free Enterprise Association, the Libres Foundation, and the Americanism Educational League were based there.<ref name="mcgirrsuburban100">{{cite book|last1=McGirr|first1=Lisa|title=Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right|date=2001|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|location=[[Princeton, New Jersey]]|isbn=9780691059037|oclc=44578931|pages=[https://archive.org/details/suburbanwarriors00mcgi/page/98 98–100]|url=https://archive.org/details/suburbanwarriors00mcgi/page/98}}</ref> According to Assistant Professor Caroline Rolland-Diamond of the [[Paris Nanterre University|Paris West University Nanterre La Défense]]:

{{Blockquote|it also appealed to conservative Americans, young and old, because the idealized representation of a past devoid of social and racial tensions that it offered stood in sharp contrast with the political and social upheavals affecting California since the [[Free Speech Movement]] erupted at the [[University of California, Berkeley|University of California at Berkeley]] [[1960s Berkeley protests|in 1964]].|sign=Caroline Rolland-Diamond|source={{lang|fr|Revue française d'études américaines}} (2016)<ref name="rollandiamondanotherside">{{cite journal|last1=Rolland-Diamond|first1=Caroline|title=Another Side of the Sixties: Festive Practices on College Campuses and the Making of a Conservative Youth Movement|journal=Revue française d'études américaines|year=2016|volume=1|issue=146|pages=39–53|doi=10.3917/rfea.146.0039|url=http://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=RFEA_146_0039&WT.mc_id=RFEA_146|access-date=October 24, 2016|via=[[Cairn.info]]|url-access=registration }}</ref>}}

In the late 1960s, a {{Convert|10|ft|4=-high|adj=mid}} brick wall with barbed wire embedded into the top was constructed around "Ghost Town" and for the first time, in 1968, an admission price was required to get into that section of the park (ostensibly to keep out the "hippies" and local long-haired youth from freely "hanging out" in the park that were, on occasion, causing problems and degrading the Knott's "family" image).  The entrance price originally being set at $1 for adults and 25¢ for children.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Knott's Berry Farm |url=http://bos.ocgov.com/legacy3/newsletters/pdf/Knotts%20Berry%20Farm%20script.pdf |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=bos.ocgov.com}}</ref> Previous to this, entry was free and the cost was based on purchasing a ticket for each ride, using the A-E ticketing system similar to that of Disneyland.  The Calico Log Ride (the original name of the [[Timber Mountain Log Ride]]) opened in 1969.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wooley |first=Eric |date=July 3, 2019 |title=Timber Mountain Log Ride Celebrating 50 years at Knott's Berry Farm! |url=https://www.coaster101.com/2019/07/03/timber-mountain-log-ride-celebrating-50-years-at-knotts-berry-farm/ |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=Coaster101 |language=en-US}}</ref>  Also during this period, an attempt to create a monorail system between Knott's and Disneyland was reportedly in the works for many years, however, project construction never began due to costs and legal issues obtaining needed property and gaining necessary right-of-way access.

When Cordelia Knott died on April 12, 1974, Walter turned his attention toward political causes.<ref>Kooiman, Helen, ''Walter Knott: Keeper of the Flame,'' pp. 171–84, Plycon Press, Fullerton, CA, 1973.</ref><ref>Salts, Christiane Victoria, ''Cordelia Knott: Pioneering Business Woman,'' pp. 75–78, The Literature Connection Books, Buena Park, CA, 2009.</ref> The Roaring Twenties<ref name="Adams">{{cite book | last =Adams | first =Judith A. | title =The American Amusement Park Industry: A History of Technology and Thrills | publisher =Twayne Publishers | year =1991 | location =Boston | pages =[https://archive.org/details/americanamusemen00adam/page/125 125–127] | isbn =978-0-8057-9821-0 | url =https://archive.org/details/americanamusemen00adam/page/125 }}</ref> rethemed Gypsy Camp in the 1970s with the addition of a nostalgic traditional amusement area, Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars, and [[Knott's Bear-y Tales]]. Then with the northward expansion of a 1920s-era Knott's Airfield-themed area featuring the Cloud 9 Dance Hall, Sky Cabin/Sky Jump and Motorcycle Chase [[Steeplechase (roller coaster)|steeplechase]] roller coaster above the electric guided rail Gasoline Alley car ride.<ref name="flickr.com">[https://www.flickr.com/photos/traderchris/2565334619/ "Motorcycle Chase, Knott's Berry Farm, 1976"] photograph of steeplechase-style roller coaster lift hill</ref>

The Sky Tower with the illuminated "K" in logo script at the top was built to support two attractions, the Sky Jump, operated from 1976 to 1999,<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 21, 2019 |title=10 former Knott's rides and attractions we miss the most |url=https://www.ocregister.com/10-former-knotts-rides-and-attractions-we-miss-the-most |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=Orange County Register |language=en-US}}</ref> and the [[Sky Cabin]]. The Sky Jump boarded one or two standing riders anticipating the thrill of the drop into baskets beneath a faux parachute canopy. From the top, twelve arms supported the vertical cable tracks of wire rope which lifted the baskets. The Sky Cabin ringed the support pole with a single floor of seats that are enclosed behind windows. Its ring revolves slowly as it rises to the top and back offering a pleasantly changing vista. It is very sensitive to weather and passenger motion, such as walking, which is prohibited during the trip. During winds 25+&nbsp;mph or rain it is closed. When built, the tower was the tallest structure in Orange County<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sky Cabin has re-opened at Knott's |url=https://discuss.micechat.com/forum/other-theme-park-news-and-destinations/knott-s-berry-farm-and-cedar-fair-parks/8548343-sky-cabin-has-re-opened-at-knott-s |access-date=December 30, 2022 |website=MiceChat |date=February 14, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> (a distinction briefly held by [[WindSeeker]] before its relocation to [[Worlds of Fun]] in 2012.)

Motorcycle Chase, a modernized steeplechase rollercoaster built in 1976 by [[Arrow Development]], featured single motorbike-themed vehicles racing side-by-side, each on one of four parallel tracks, launched together.<ref name="flickr.com"/> One or two riders straddled each "[[Indian Motorcycle|Indian motorcycle]]" attraction vehicle. The tubular steel monorail track closely followed dips and bumps in "the road" and tilted to lean riders about the curves. Gasoline Alley, an electric steel-guide rail car ride below, was built together and intimately intertwined, which enhanced ride-to-ride interaction thrill value.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/traderchris/2565334421/ "Motorcycle Chase, Knott's Berry Farm, 1976"] photograph of a steeplechase-style roller coaster with car ride combination.</ref> Rider safety concerns of the high center of gravity coupled with the method of rider restraints caused it to be rethemed Wacky Soap Box Racers with vehicles themed to look like soap box racers, each seating two riders, strapped in low (nearly straddling the track), surrounded by the close-fitting car sides, and the dips and bumps of the track were straightened flat in 1980. Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers was removed in 1996 for a dueling loop coaster [[Windjammer Surf Racers]] and now [[Xcelerator]], a vertical launch coaster, takes its place.

On December 3, 1981, Walter Knott died,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Walter Knott |url=https://www.ochistoryland.com/walter-knott |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=OC Historyland |language=en-US}}</ref> survived by his children who would continue to operate Knott's as a family business for another fourteen years.

In the 1980s, Knott's built the Calico Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde as the house band. It was during the height of the "[[Urban Cowboy]]" era. The "Calico Barn Dance" was featured in Knott's TV commercials.
[[File:BigFoot Rapids 2.JPG|thumb|[[Calico River Rapids|Bigfoot Rapids]] (now Calico River Rapids) was located in the Wild Water Wilderness section of the park.]]

During the 1980s, Knott's met the competition in Southern California theme parks by theming a new land and building two massive attractions: '''Kingdom of the Dinosaurs''', a primeval retheme of Knott's Bear-y Tales), in 1987 and '''Bigfoot Rapids''' in 1988, a whitewater [[river rafting ride]] as the centerpiece of the new themed area Wild Water Wilderness.

The [[Boomerang (roller coaster)|Boomerang]] roller coaster replaced Corkscrew<ref name="Adams"/> in 1990 with a lift shuttle train passing to and from through a cobra roll and a vertical loop for six inversions each trip.

The ''Mystery Lodge'' (1994),<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472543/ | publisher=IMDb |title= Mystery Lodge}}</ref> inspired by [[General Motors]] "Spirit Lodge" pavilion, was a live show augmented with [[Pepper's ghost]] and other special effects, which was among the most popular exhibits at [[Expo 86]] in Vancouver, [[British Columbia]], Canada, which was produced by [[Bob Rogers (designer)|Bob Rogers]] of BRC Imagination Arts<ref name="BRC Imagination Arts">{{cite web|title=Knott's Mystery Lodge|url=http://brcweb.com/brc/projects/knotts_mystery_lodge|publisher=BRC Imagination Arts|access-date=May 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103183600/http://brcweb.com/brc/projects/knotts_mystery_lodge|archive-date=November 3, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> and created with the assistance of the Kwagulth Native reserve in the village of [[Alert Bay]], British Columbia.<ref name="Mystery Lodge">{{cite web|title=Knott's Berry Farm: Mystery Lodge |url=http://brcweb.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Mystery-Lodge.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221044953/http://brcweb.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Mystery-Lodge.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 21, 2013 |publisher=BRC Imagination Arts }}</ref> Mystery Lodge recreates a quiet summer night in Alert Bay, then guests "move inside" the [[Longhouses of the indigenous peoples of North America#Northwest Coast longhouses|longhouse]] and listen to the storyteller weave a tale of the importance of family from the smoke of the bonfire.

The [[Jaguar!]] was opened on June 17, 1995, to add another roller coaster to the mix of Fiesta Village alongside Montezooma's Revenge.

===New owners===
In the 1990s, after Walter and Cordelia died, their children decided to sell off their businesses.

In 1995, the Knott family sold the food specialty business to [[Conagra Brands|ConAgra Inc]],<ref name="brand"/> which later resold the brand to [[The J.M. Smucker Company]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite news|title=The J. M. Smucker Company Acquires Knott's Berry Farm® Food Brand From ConAgra Foods, Inc.|url=https://www.foxla.com/news/knotts-berry-farm-grocery-store-brand-discontinued|access-date=January 25, 2024}}</ref> In 2024, Smuckers discontinued sale of the Knott's Berry Farm jams in grocery stores.<ref>{{cite news|title=Knott's Berry Farm brand discontinued at grocery stores|url=https://www.conagrabrands.com/news-room/news-the-j-m-smucker-company-acquires-knotts-berry-farmr-food-brand-from-conagra-foods-inc-1145008|access-date=January 8, 2024|publisher=Conagra Brands|date=May 12, 2008}}</ref>

On December 29, 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair. Initially, the Knotts were given an opportunity to sell the park to [[The Walt Disney Company]]. The park would have been amalgamated into the [[Disneyland Resort]] and converted into [[Disney's America]], which had previously failed to be built near Washington, D.C. The Knotts refused to sell the park to Disney out of fear that most of what Walter Knott had built would be eliminated.

In the late 1990s, Cedar Fair also acquired the Buena Park Hotel, located at the northwest corner of Grand and Crescent avenues.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reckard|first=E. Scott|title=Knott's Parent Firm to Buy Hotel Next to Theme Park|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-dec-19-fi-55485-story.html|access-date=January 8, 2024|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=December 19, 1998}}</ref> It was then brought up to [[Radisson Hotels|Radisson]] standards and branded Radisson Resort Hotel as a franchise. In 2004, the park renamed the Radisson Resort Hotel the Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reckard|first=E. Scott|title=Knott's Owner Hopes Water Park and Hotel Renovation Bear Fruit|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-15-fi-41052-story.html|access-date=January 8, 2024|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=June 15, 2000}}</ref>

===Post-Cedar Fair acquisition===
[[File:Knott's Berry Farm.jpg|thumb|View of Silver Bullet from Sky Cabin|alt=]]
[[File:Hangtime 18.jpg|thumb|Hangtime debuted as the park's latest major roller coaster since Silver Bullet on May 16, 2018.]]
[[File:Knott's Beary Tales Return To The Fair 1.jpg|thumb|[[Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair]] opened to season passholders on May 6, 2021.]]

Since being acquired by Cedar Fair, the park has seen an aggressive shift towards [[Amusement ride|thrill rides]], with the construction of several large [[roller coaster]]s and the addition of a record-breaking [[Shoot-the-Chutes]] ride named [[Perilous Plunge]]. Perilous Plunge had the record of being the tallest and steepest water ride in the world until September 2012 when it was closed and removed.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mello|first=Michael|title=Knott's Perilous Plunge's days are numbered|url=http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/ride-368423-knott-plunge.html|access-date=February 28, 2014|newspaper=The Orange County Register|date=August 13, 2012}}</ref> Also, in 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced that one of the most popular rides at the park, the [[Timber Mountain Log Ride]], would be closed for a significant five-month refurbishment, led by [[Garner Holt|Garner Holt Productions, Inc.]]<ref>{{cite news|last1=Buck|first1=Fielding|title=KNOTT'S BERRY FARM: Garner Holt shares Log Ride experiences|url=http://www.pe.com/articles/-731070--.html|access-date=September 12, 2016|agency=The Press Enterprise|publisher=The Press Enterprise|date=June 14, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On May 25, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm added three new family rides on the site of the former Perilous Plunge, including a [[wild mouse]] called [[Coast Rider]], a [[Scrambler (ride)|scrambler]] flat ride called Pacific Scrambler, and Surfside Gliders. All three were constructed in the Boardwalk section of the park. An old bridge that connected the exit of Coast Rider and the Boardwalk became the entrance to Surfside Gliders and Pacific Scrambler. Following the 2013 season, Knott's Berry Farm removed [[Windseeker]] and moved it to Worlds of Fun, where it reopened in 2014. For the 2014 season, the historical Calico Mine Ride underwent a major refurbishment completed in six months.<ref name="KNOTT'S ANNOUNCES MAJOR PLANS FOR 2014">{{cite web|title=New For 2014: KNOTT'S ANNOUNCES MAJOR PLANS FOR 2014 |url=https://www.knotts.com/what-s-new/2014-announcement |publisher=Knott's Berry Farm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203000850/https://www.knotts.com/what-s-new/2014-announcement |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref>

During the fall of 2019, Knott's Berry Farm announced the return of [[Knott's Bear-y Tales]] as an interactive 4D dark ride as part of the park's 100th anniversary in 2020 with the name [[Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair]]. However, the park was indefinitely shut down due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] at the end of its operating day on March 13, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.knotts.com/park-update|title = Knott's Berry Farm Amusement Park &#124; Coronavirus Update}}</ref> Knott's Bear-y Tales and other planned changes to the park were postponed to 2021.<ref>{{cite news|last1=MacDonald|first1=Brady|title=Knott's Berry Farm postpones 100th-anniversary celebration until 2021, new ride ready to open |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2020/05/08/knotts-berry-farm-postpones-100th-anniversary-celebration-until-2021-new-ride-ready-to-open/|access-date=August 28, 2020|agency=The Press Enterprise|publisher=The Press Enterprise|date=May 8, 2020}}</ref> In June 2020, Knott's Marketplace reopened with health guidelines in place.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.micechat.com/258569-knotts-berry-farm-chicken-to-go-reopens-next-week/ |title= Marketplace Reopening |website=Knott's Berry Farm |date= May 6, 2020 |access-date=August 28, 2020}}</ref> The following month, the park introduced ''Taste of Calico'', an outdoor [[food festival]] on weekends located in the Ghost Town section of the park. The event evolved over the season, becoming ''Taste of Knott's'' when it expanded into Fiesta Village and the Boardwalk, ''Taste of Fall-o-ween'' during the fall season,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westcoaster.net/home/2020/9/27/knotts-taste-of-fall-o-ween-2020-general-review-featuring-special-guest-zombie-joe|title = Knott's Taste of Fall-O-Ween 2020: General Review Featuring Special Guest Zombie Joe| date=September 27, 2020 }}</ref> and ''Taste of Merry Farm'' for the Christmas holiday season which was canceled in December 2020 due to the regional stay at home order issued by [[California Governor]] [[Gavin Newsom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2020/12/07/knotts-berry-farm-cancels-taste-of-merry-farm-through-christmas-due-to-stay-at-home-order/|title = Knott's Berry Farm cancels Taste of Merry Farm through Christmas due to stay-at-home order|date = December 7, 2020}}</ref> [[Amusement Today]] recognized the ''Taste Of'' events in its annual [[Golden Ticket Awards]], awarding the park under the category "Industry Leader: Amusement/Theme Park" for its innovative approach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goldenticketawards.com/2020-gta-winners/|title = The Golden Ticket Awards &#124; Presented by Amusement Today|date = October 28, 2020}}</ref>

Knott's Berry Farm returned to normal operation on May 6, 2021, including the debut of the delayed Knott's Bear-y Tales attraction originally planned for 2020.<ref name="Knott's Berry Farm 2021 Season Passholder Preview days">{{cite web|title=Knott's Berry Farm 2021 Season Passholder Preview days|url=https://www.knotts.com/events/season-passholder-preview-days|publisher=Knott's Berry Farm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416234226/https://www.knotts.com/events/season-passholder-preview-days|archive-date=April 16, 2021|access-date=April 16, 2021}}</ref> On July 1, 2024, Cedar Fair merged with [[Six Flags]],<ref>{{cite web | title=Cedar Fair L.P. (FUN), Six Flags (SIX) Announce Merger of Equals is Successfully Completed | website=StreetInsider.com | date=July 1, 2024 | url=https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Cedar+Fair+L.P.+%28FUN%29%2C+Six+Flags+%28SIX%29+Announce+Merger+of+Equals+is+Successfully+Completed/23421543.html | access-date=July 2, 2024}}</ref> and the combined [[Six Flags Entertainment Corporation]] took over Knott's Berry Farm, making them part of the same company as longtime rival [[Six Flags Magic Mountain]]. Cedar Fair still has controlling shares of the company.<ref>{{cite web | title=A farewell to Cedar Fair: Cedar Fair, Six Flags expected to finalize merger | publisher=WKRC | date=July 1, 2024 | url=https://www.local12.com/news/nation-world/cedar-point-fair-six-flags-entertainment-corporation-finalize-merger-today-kings-island-cincinnati-ticker-symbol-fun-stock-market-nyse-historic-mergers-top-10-expected-closing-date-section-27a-securities-act-amusement-parks-resort-properties-revenue | access-date=July 2, 2024}}</ref>

===Timeline===
{{Hidden begin|title=Park timeline|titlestyle=text-align: center; background:#CCC}}
[[File:Stagecoach, Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, circa 1950.jpg|thumb|right|Stagecoach circa 1950, added as the first ride in 1949]]
[[File:Knotts BF - train 1963.jpg|thumb|right|Knotts Berry Farm Denver & Rio Grand steam locomotive, added as Ghost Town & Calico Railroad in 1952]]
* 1920: Ten acres of berry farmland leased by Walter and Cordelia Knott
* 1927: Ten leased acres of berry farm purchased, named Knott's Berry Place
* 1929: Ten more acres are purchased
* 1932: [[Rudolf Boysen]] gives Walter his last six [[boysenberry|crossbreed berry plants]], as yet unnamed
* 1934: Cordelia and her children serve the first chicken dinner to customers in their tearoom.
* 1936: Restaurant expanded to seat 70.
* 1939: Restaurant expanded to seat 600; Redwood Stump by the Information Room; Eucalyptus (variety: Viminilus) trees planted from gallon cans in what became Ghost Town the next year.
* 1940: Ghost Town buildings (such as the Jail, Goldie's Joint, Chinese laundry, Assay Office, Sheriff's Office, Barber Shop, Blacksmith Shop (Bill Shirley was the first blacksmith), Drug Store, Silver Dollar Saloon, and windmill) erected on what is now Main Street; Island created that became the Indian Village in 1952; the Volcano was built in about 1940
* 1941: 100 more acres of land are added, totals 120.
* 1941: Little Chapel by the Lake (aka the Adobe Chapel) built with [[Paul von Klieben]]'s "The Transfiguration of Christ" exhibit (the farm's first attraction); Print Shop; "Old Betsey" borax engine brought from the desert just beyond Trona, California.  
* 1942: Cover Wagon Show opens in the Gold Trails Hotel; Post Office built (It became a working post office in 1952); Well Fargo Office
* 1942: Restaurant is turning out 10,000 dinners a week.
* 1944: Bottle House, General Store; Arastra built in about 1944
* 1945: Bottle House (?) and Music Hall (designed by Paul von Klieben) completed.  The Music Hall displayed the Knotts' collection of antique music boxes and the painting "Night Watch" by [[Charles Christian Nahl]].
* 1946: Steakhouse; Gun Shop; Fandango Hall
* 1947: Name change from Knott's Berry Place to Knott's Berry Farm.
* 1947: Concrete bench figures Handsome Brady and Whiskey Jim (aka Whiskey Bill), the first of several sculpted by [[Cabazon Dinosaurs|Claude Bell]].
* 1947: Gold Mine, Jersey Lilly Saloon (Judge Roy Bean's)
* 1949: Bill Higdon's Covered Wagon Ride, and later Stagecoaches; Wagon Camp built; Log Cabin (by the Gold Mine) built
* 1950: Horse Arena built for the Mark Smith Horse Show
* 1951: Calico Saloon;  Paul von Klieben painting "Saturday Night in Old Calico, 1888" (20&nbsp;ft. x 16&nbsp;ft.) is installed behind the bar (It now hangs in the Pitchur Gallery).
* 1951: Claude Bell initiates the Portraits in Pastel concession and runs it until 1986 (now operated by Kaman's Art Shoppes).  Bell and his son build the Portraits in Pastel building (now used as the Geode Shop), and fireplace with relief of Mark Twain sculpted on it.  The loft upstairs includes a large drafting table and access to the rooftop patio.
* 1952: [[Ghost Town & Calico Railroad]]; Mrs. Murphy's Boarding House (this building was originally the first post office in Downey)
* 1952: Schoolhouse brought in from Beloit, Kansas.  About this time more buildings (designed by Paul von Klieben) are constructed on School Road, such as the Grist Mill, Barrel House, Box House and Boot Hill.
* 1953: Boot Hill; Box House (Knife Maker's Shop in front of the Barrel House); Doc Walker's Four-Room Log Cabin (brought in from the Ozarks) on School Road; Weaver's and Candlemaker's Shops (brought in from a neighboring farm)
* 1954: [[History of Knott's Berry Farm#Haunted Shack|Haunted Shack]]; Bird Cage Theater; Miners' Bank; Seal Pool; Haunted House; Clock in Rose Garden; Concrete Bench figures depicting Calico Saloon performers Cecelia Peterson and Marilyn Schuler sculpted by [[Cabazon Dinosaurs|Claude Bell]]; Indian Statues sculpted by Ross Yost (Claude Bell's assistant) on the hills behind Boot Hill depicting the figures in the "Night Watch" painting.  The "Night Watch" painting by Charles Christian Nahl was later donated by the Knott Family to the Orange County Museum of Art.
* 1955: Dentzel Carousel (which was [[Wendell "Bud" Hurlbut]]'s first concession at Knott's; Merry-Go-Round; Auto Ride (later the Tijuana Taxi); Hunter's Paradise Shootin' Gallery; Model 'T' Children's Ride; Cable Cars; Evan Middleton's Model Train Shop; First Baptist Church in Downey moved to Knott's and became the Church of Reflections; Sock-Maker's Shop; Jeffries Barn brought in; Old MacDonald's Barnyard
* 1956: Western Trails Museum; Models of California missions constructed by Leon de Volo
* 1958: Mott's Miniatures
[[File:Bud Hurlbut in Calico Mine Ride engine, Knott's Berry Farm, circa 1960.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[Bud Hurlbut]] in ''Calico Mine Ride'' engine, circa 1960]]
* 1959: "Bud" Hurlbut miniature train ride on the east side of Beach Blvd.
* 1960: Calico Mine Ride; Shootin' Gallery (aka Hunter's Paradise)
* 1963: "Cordelia K" christened
* 1965: "Bud" Hurlbut creates replica of the Liberty Bell for display in Independence Hall
* 1966: Independence Hall
* 1967: Bust of Walter Knott sculpted by Claude Bell (on display in Independence Hall)
* 1968: Fence surrounds the park, and admission is charged.
* 1969: [[Timber Mountain Log Ride]]; Fiesta Village themed area; Tijuana Taxi (re-themed from Auto Ride); Mexican Whip; Fiesta Wheel; Happy Sombrero.
* 1970: Claude Bell sculpts the Minuteman statue displayed near Independence Hall (at Crescent St. and Beach Blvd.)
* 1971: John Wayne Theater (later the Good Time Theater, then the Charles M. Schulz Theater); Gypsy Camp
* 1973: Inaugural [[Knott's Scary Farm]] Halloween event
* 1974: Wild West Stunt Show replaces Wagon Camp shows.
* 1975: [[Corkscrew (Silverwood)|Corkscrew]]; [[Knott's Bear-y Tales]]; Roaring 20s
* 1976: Motorcycle Chase; Sky Jump; Sky Cabin; Propeller Spin; Loop Trainer Flying Machine; Whirlpool; Gasoline Alley; Whirlwind.
* 197?: Knotts Berry Farm Hotel opened.
* 1978: [[MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress|Montezooma's Revenge]]; Old MacDonald's Farm removed; Cable Cars removed
* 1980: Dragon Swing; Wacky Soap Box Racers
* 1983: Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde Country Western Dancing; [[Camp Snoopy]] themed area built, forcing the removal of Knott's Lagoon and its attractions around a lake which had been built north of Independence Hall, so that a parking area could be relocated.
* 1984: Studio K debuts. The most successful teen dance facility in the nation. Opened with a Dick Clark Special, "Rock Rolls On".
* 1986:  Knott's Pacific Pavilion; Knott's Bear-y Tales removed; Tijuana Taxi removed; Fiesta Wheel removed; Mexican Whip removed.
* 1987: Kingdom of the Dinosaurs; Tampico Tumbler; Gran Slammer; Slingshot;; Bear-y Tales Funhouse; Happy Sombrero renamed Mexican Hat Dance.
* 1988: [[Calico River Rapids|Bigfoot Rapids]]
* 1989: XK-1; Greased Lightning moved into an enclosed building and renamed Whirlwind. Corkscrew removed/refurbished and moved to Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho; Propeller Spin removed; Loop Trainer Flying Machine removed.
* 1990: [[Boomerang (roller coaster)|Boomerang]] built on the former site of Corkscrew.
* 1991: Studio K closed.
* 1992: Indian Trails-themed area; Mott's Miniatures closes.
* 1994: Mystery Lodge.
* 1995: [[Jaguar!]]
* 1996: The Boardwalk-themed area (a retheme of Roaring 20's); HammerHead; Greased Lightning renamed HeadAche; Whirlpool renamed Headspin; Wacky Soap Box Racers with Gasoline Alley removed.
* 1997: [[Windjammer Surf Racers]]; Cedar Fair acquires the park; Bear-y Tales Funhouse removed.
[[File:GhostRiderKnottsNight.jpg|thumb|right|180px|''GhostRider'' at night]]
* 1998: [[GhostRider (roller coaster)|GhostRider]]; [[Supreme Scream]]; Woodstock's Airmail; XK-1 removed; Knott's Pacific Pavilion removed; Slingshot renamed Wave Swinger; Mexican Hat Dance renamed Hat Dance.
* 1999: Wipeout; Coasters restaurant; Charlie Brown Speedway; Sky Jump removed; HeadAche removed and renamed The Blue Thunder at [[Miracle Strip Amusement Park]]; Pacific Pavilion removed; Radisson Resort Knott's Berry Farm.
* 2000: [[Perilous Plunge]]; [[Knott's Soak City]] U.S. water park; [[Windjammer Surf Racers]] closes; Haunted Shack removed.
* 2001: [[VertiGo (ride)|VertiGo]]; Wipeout relocated; Headspin relocated and renamed Wilderness Scrambler.
* 2002: [[Xcelerator]]; VertiGo removed
* 2003: Tampico Tumbler removed; Gran Slammer removed; La Revolución; Joe Cool's Gr8 Sk8; HammerHead removed.
* 2004: [[Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)|Silver Bullet]]; Lucy's Tugboat; RipTide; [[Screamin' Swing]]; Kingdom of the Dinosaurs closed; Church of Reflections relocated to outside of park; Radisson Resort Knott's Berry Farm renamed Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel. [[Grand Sierra Railroad|Grand Sierra Scenic Railroad]] shortened and the Little Chapel by the Lake (aka Adobe Chapel) removed to accommodate construction of ''Silver Bullet''.
* 2005: [[T.G.I. Fridays]] restaurant (California Marketplace).
* 2006: Pacific Spin ([[Knott's Soak City|Soak City U.S.]]); [[Johnny Rockets]] restaurant; Walter K Steamboat removed; New Perilous Plunge boats put into operation; Woodstock's Airmail relocated.
* 2007: [[Sierra Sidewinder]]; Wilderness Scrambler removed.
* 2008: [[The Pony Express (roller coaster)|Pony Express]]; Peanut's Playhouse removed.
[[File:Coast Rider 4.JPG|thumb|220px|Coast Rider and Surfside Gliders opened in May 2013 as part of the boardwalk expansion.]]
* 2009: [[Pink's Hot Dogs|Pink's]]; Remodel and rebrand of Viva La Coasters in the California Marketplace.
* 2010: Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular added; Snoopy's Christmas Spectacular.
* 2011: [[WindSeeker]]
* 2012: [[Fast Lane (Cedar Fair)|Fast Lane]]; Park improvements&nbsp;– Replacing area theme music, removing boardwalks and pouring concrete replacements, rebuilding rotted wood structures, keeping open until park closing attractions, restaurants & shops which had previously closed early. More aggressive [[youth marketing]] & advertising; Perilous Plunge closes
* 2013: Boardwalk expansion: [[Coast Rider]]; Surfside Gliders; Pacific Scrambler (all replaced Perilous Plunge); [[WindSeeker]] removed;<ref name="KBF announces new rides">{{cite web|title=Knott's Berry Farm Announces New Additions|url=http://www.cisionwire.com/knott-s-berry-farm/r/knott-s-berry-farm-announces-new-additions,c9329606|publisher=Cision Wire|access-date=November 1, 2012|date=November 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611060441/http://news.cision.com/knott-s-berry-farm/r/knott-s-berry-farm-announces-new-additions,c9329606|archive-date=June 11, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Bob Weir (who was the Knott's woodcarver from 1986 until retiring in 2024) begins restoring the models of the California missions.  The missions had been removed in various renovations in the 1980s and 1990s, and in some cases had to be rebuilt from scratch.  New enclosures for the missions were built and installed.
* 2014: Charlie Brown's Kite Flyer; Linus Launcher; Pig Pen's Mud Buggies; Grand Sierra Scenic Railroad, Lucy's Tugboat and Rocky Road Trucking Company rethemed as Grand Sierra Railroad, Rapid River Run and Rocky Mountain Trucking Company; Charlie Brown's Speedway, Joe Cool's GR8 SK8, Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, Log Peeler and Snoopy Bounce removed. La Tiendita removed.
* 2015: [[Voyage to the Iron Reef]]; [[Screamin' Swing]] closed in preparation for removal; GhostRider closed for major refurbishment.
* 2016: Ghost Town is renovated to celebrate its 75th birthday; RipTide officially closed and demolished due to technical issues;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/knott-704507-closed-ride.html|title=Knott's Berry Farm wraps up Rip Tide ride|last=PIMENTEL|first=JOSEPH|website=The Orange County Register|date=February 22, 2016|language=en-US|access-date=May 25, 2016}}</ref> [[Starbucks]] replaces [[Dreyer's]] in the California Marketplace; Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant undergoes major renovations;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/restaurant-712751-knott-new.html|title=Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant reopens with a new look, but same chicken|last=EADES|first=MARK|website=The Orange County Register|date=April 20, 2016|language=en-US|access-date=May 25, 2016}}</ref> GhostRider reopens from its major refurbishment on June 10, 2016; Temporarily removed Wipeout for HangTime construction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/knott's_berry_farm/wipeout/|title=Wipeout at Knott's Berry Farm|website=Themeparkinsider.com|access-date=March 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401125849/http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/knott's_berry_farm/wipeout/|archive-date=April 1, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* 2017: Sol Spin; new Boardwalk Barbecue restaurant;<ref name="knotts.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.knotts.com/what-s-new/coming-in-2017-new-ride-new-slides-and-more|title=Coming In 2017: New Thrill Ride, Knott's Soak City Expansion, Ghost Town Alive!, and expanded Boysenberry Festival|website=Knotts.com|access-date=March 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106190103/https://www.knotts.com/what-s-new/coming-in-2017-new-ride-new-slides-and-more|archive-date=November 6, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Added VRCADE;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coaster101.com/2017/02/01/knotts-vrstudios-project/|title=Knott's Partnering With VRStudios on a New Attraction|date=February 1, 2017|website=Coaster101.com|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref> Boomerang closes;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/knott-746891-ride-closing.html|title=Knott's closing its Boomerang coaster for good|first=Mark|last=Eades|website=Ocregister.com|date=March 18, 2017|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref> Montezooma's Revenge receives new color scheme.;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parkjourney.com/cedar-fair/march-7-2017-knotts-berry-farm-update|title=March 7, 2017&nbsp;– Knott's Berry Farm Update|website=Parkjourney.com|access-date=March 24, 2017}}</ref> Brought back Ghost Town Alive;<ref name="knotts.com"/> Extended Boysenberry Festival;<ref name="knotts.com"/> Soak City gets an expansion<ref name="knotts.com"/>
* 2018: [[HangTime (roller coaster)|HangTime]]; Sky Cabin reopened on February 10; Wipeout relocated and reopened in October; Bigfoot Rapids closes in September to undergo major renovation and new theming as Calico River Rapids.
* 2019: Calico River Rapids opened in May.
* 2020: Voyage to the Iron Reef closed on January 5, Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair was set to open in the former spot of Voyage to the Iron Reef; the entire park was shut down on March 14 on grounds of [[COVID-19 pandemic]].
* 2021: Knott's Berry Farm reopens after a year-long closure on May 6 to season pass holders; Knott's Berry Farm's grand reopening and Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair opens to the general public on May 21; Knott's Berry Farm's 100th anniversary celebration begins May 21 to September 6, 2021.
* 2022: Montezooma's Revenge closed for a major renovation, set to reopen in 2024 as MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Niles |first1=Robert |title=Knott's Will Renovate Its Montezooma's Revenge Coaster |url=https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/202201/8713/ |website=Theme Park Insider |access-date=January 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108035824/https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/202201/8713/ |archive-date=January 8, 2022 |date=January 7, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* 2023: Sol Spin, La Revolucion, and Dragon Swing are all repainted to fit into the refreshed Fiesta Village; Casa California opens in place of the old arcade in Fiesta Village; Carousel was renamed Carrusel de California; Waveswinger renamed Los Voladores; Timberline Twister and Camp Bus removed.
* 2024: Snoopy's Tenderpaw Twister Coaster; Sally's Swing Along; Huff and Puff and High Sierra Ferris Wheel removed; Rocky Mountain Trucking Company and Grand Sierra Railroad are rethemed to Camp Snoopy's Off-Road Rally and Beagle Express.
{{Clear}}{{Hidden end}}