Credit: Knott's Berry FarmA historic opening day attraction at a beloved California theme park has been closed since 2020 and shows no signs of opening anytime soon.
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California is home to many iconic theme parks. While most people may only recognize Disneyland Resort or Disney California Adventure, there’s also Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld San Diego, and Six Flags Magic Mountain.
One of the most beloved parks in Southern California is Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA. Operating for over 100 years, Knott’s is home to many influential and historic attractions, including the Calico Mine Ride, Timber Mountain Log Ride, Ghost Town Alive, and the first-ever Halloween haunt, Knott’s Scary Farm. However, its oldest attraction has been left in a sorry state.
Beloved Theme Park Leaves Oldest Attraction in Dilapidated State
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While Knott’s is now most recognized as a theme park filled with exciting thrill rides, early on, it was recognized for fun things like a recreation of George Washington’s Fireplace and Independence Hall. Another one of these attractions was a rock garden and waterfall created using lava rock from Death Valley.
While it may not be a roller coaster or family fun activity, the rock waterfall represents one of the earliest attractions built at Knott’s Berry Farm. Guests in the early 1900s would wait near the waterfall for their seats to be ready at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. This predates other historical attractions, like the Old West Ghost Town.
Based on photos uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) by Hubert Wong, the waterfall is in a sorry state, having all of the vegetation removed and the water missing completely. What used to be a popular restroom spot and place to relax has now been left completely bare since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
While there has been no concrete answer as to why the rock garden and waterfall were left like this, there are a couple of theories. One left by a commenter in the Knott’s Network Facebook group suggests that a couple has tried to sue Knott’s multiple times for the section not being ADA compliant, leading to the park closing the bathrooms completely. Inside The Magic reached out to Knott’s Berry Farm for comment on this situation.
This area is the oldest remaining attraction at #Knott's. Before Ghost Town, before the Covered Wagon Show, before the volcano, there was the rock garden. The only thing left that pre-dates it is the Chicken Dinner Restaurant itself.
📸📸 courtesy: Orange County Archives https://t.co/vny23agYnv pic.twitter.com/WNxb0BF9TP
— ThemeParchive (@ThemeParchive) April 17, 2023
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Another theory comes from Hubert Wong, who claims to have spoken to Knott’s managers about the closed-off area back in April 2023. According to Wong, the Knott’s employees stated that park management hasn’t decided what to do with the area and that other projects are currently higher priorities, likely referring to Xcelerator and Montezooma’s Revenge, a historic roller coaster that still hasn’t reopened.
If these attractions are not restored to their previous state, it would indeed be a sad day for Knott’s. Much like Disneyland Park, a large part of the appeal of Knott’s Berry Farm is its history. It would be a shame to see that history left behind because it doesn’t seem that important. As anyone who walks down Main Street, U.S.A., and loves the details put in by Walt Disney himself can tell you, that’s what makes an amusement park feel magical.
What’s your favorite defunct attraction? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!