Website // 8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620 // +1 714-220-5200
Just 10 minutes away from Anaheim in Buena Park, Knott’s Berry Farm is the most significant and older theme park in the United States. Knott’s was founded by Walter Knott and his wife, Cordelia Knott, and it was initially created as a farm and nursery. In 1920, Walter and Cordelia leased 10 acres of land in Buena Park and grew berries, selling them to local grocers and on a roadside stand. The Knott’s also sold their relishes, preserves, and candy. In 1928 they opened a berry market and a tearoom, which evolved into a restaurant in the 1930s and a theme park initially featuring a mining ghost town and rides.
In 1932, the Knott family associated with boysenberry, their best-known berry, when Walter assumed the nurturing of six hybrid plants that Rudolph Boysen (an Anaheim horticulturist) had developed by crossing red raspberry, loganberry, and blackberry. Within ten years, boysenberry production had become amazingly prosperous. However, in 1960, the Buena Park berry farm ended, overtaken by the famous theme park, and the Knott’s acquired large acreage near Modesto, in Central California, for growing berries. The family then sold Knott’s Berry Farm ownership to Cedar Fair in 1997.
Knott’s Berry Farm has grown several acres by the early 21st century. This amusement complex celebrates different themes like early Spanish California, Old West, and the 1920s flapper era. Knott’s also features an Independence Hall, Philadelphia replica.
This amusement complex is one of North America’s most visited theme parks and averages around 4 million visitors per year; it has over 30 attractions like roller coasters, family rides, and water rides.
