Monthly Archives: January 2015

Steak House, Ghost Town, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

This image is of one of the main rooms of the Steak House, in this example the so-called Indian Room. This restaurant has changed names over the years, and is now called Spurs, keeping the theme and much of the menu.
The restaurant was originally outside the gates of the park, but expansion absorbed the land around it, and now visitors who wish to eat there can pay a deposit to eat without taking in the rest of the park’s activities.
This picture dates from the 1940s.

Ghost Town Houses, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

These two modest structures are typical of the buildings present in the Ghost Town area of Knott’s Berry Farm in its early years. The dark circles on the building to the right are actual bottles, used in the construction of the house walls, thus the name Bottle House.
The other building is the Music Hall, which was not used for performances but instead displayed old music playback devices and instruments.
Both structures were completed by the late 1940s. This postcard dates from that time.

Silver Dollar Bar, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

This image is a carefully posed view of the service bar in the Silver Dollar Bar at Knott’s Berry Farm. Specifically, it is located in the area called Ghost Town, which normally means a deserted frontier settlement, but here is intended to mean a recreation of the OId West through buildings, decorations and actors such as the bartender depicted.
Clicking on the image will provide a much larger version that enables one to read the many small signs posted around the bar for humorous effect.
This postcard dates from the 1940s.

General Store Interior, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

This image is of the same General Merchandise Store, as it looked when first occupied. The items visible on the shelves are for sale for the most part, and included the berry products from the Knott’s berry farm.
There is no description on the back of the card.
This interior has been extensively changed and remodeled with the passing years, and bears no resemblance today, it being a more familiar souvenir shop with modern fixtures and lighting.
This card dates from the 1940s.

General Merchandise Store, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Vista, California

This is an image of the exterior of the General Merchandise Store as it looked in an earlier incarnation. There is a stereotypical wooden Indian carving and two cast members sitting on a bench under the sign.
There is no description on the back of the card.
The store is part of the larger Western town recreation known as Ghost Town, and the building, erected in 1944, still stands and is used to sell souvenirs. The card dates from the 1940s.

Redwood Section, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Vista, California

This image begins a series of pictures from the popular tourist destination known as Knott’s Berry Farm. It has existed in many forms over the decades, and much of what will be seen here has been replaced with more modern attractions. This is a section from a California redwood tree.
There is no description on the back of the card, typical of card like this which were converted from photos. The display was removed in 1984, a tree planted in the spot, and the surrounding area paved over.
This card dates from the 1940s.

Motel La Salle, Springfield, Missouri

This image shows a typical mid-20th century motel as it looked in the days before the Interstate Highway system profoundly affected motor traffic through and around many cities like Springfield, Missouri.

M.W.M. Color-Litho “Bursheen” Finished, Made Only By M.W.M. Co., Aurora, Mo.


The description states:
LA SALLE MOTEL
Refrigerated – Free T.V. – Panelray Heat
Tub and Shower Baths
Phone 4-8277
Highway 166, 60 and 13
Springfield, Missouri
–Presumably, refrigerated was the term used that is now called air conditioning. It is not known what sort of system Panelray heat was, possibly a kind of electric heater built into the wall of the motel room. This hotel no longer exists, likely a result of the reconstruction of the highway intersection in later years. This card likely dates from the 1940s.

Castle Hahatonka Ruins, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

Here is another view of Hahatonka, after the devastating fire that destroyed the entire house, leaving only the shell of the building standing in some places.

Blair Cedar and Novelty Works, Camdenton, Mo.


The description states:
HA HA TONKA (Laughing Waters)
CASTLE RUINS
overlooking The Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.
–More information  is available at a previous post here. This card likely dates from the 1950s.

Castle Hahatonka, Lake of the Ozarks

This image is a colorful rendition of the large house that came to be called Castle Hahatonka.

Corwin News Agency, Jefferson City, Mo.


The description states:
HAHATONKA AND THE “CASTLE”
Daniel Boone is said to have trapped beaver in 1801 on what is now Hahatonka Lake. The region was visited in 1806 by a member of Pike’s Expedition, and was described by Henry M. Brackenridge in his Views of Louisiana, published in 1814. Robert M. Snyder, Kansas City, in 1905, built the house that has since been known as the “Castle”.
–The house is also described on an earlier post here. This card likely dates from the 1940s