Tuesday, October 21, 2008

O.C. theme park historical update (& Seal Beach)

Here's a full-page ad for Knott's Berry Farm from the 1962 Garden Grove High School Argonaut. Not a one of these four attractions still exists. (Yes, I'm still milking this great yearbook for all its worth.)
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The ad reminds me that there is now yet another local theme park history blog, called Let's Talk Knott's. I'm looking forward to seeing it take shape.
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Speaking of theme parks, the Register recently ran an interview with Disneyland's first "Ambassador," Julie Riehm-Casaletto. Some of you will remember how Walt Disney introduced Julie on the same television program in which he introduced the Pirates of the Carribean, it's a small world, and the Haunted Mansion.
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Also, Daveland has a great feature on the old dioramas at Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. Imagineer Chris Merritt and company are working hard to restore the original walk-through scenes while adding some new twists.
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And finally, a bit of non-theme-park historical news for today: The Seal Beach Historical Society now has a new website. Go take a look for yourself.

2 comments:

outsidetheberm said...

Love that Knott's ad.

It's amazing what kind of gems you sometimes find in old yearbooks.

Mandy said...

How sad am I that the old haunted shack where the used to do tours and use kids in the audience as test subjects is gone. :(

Yes. They used me as a test subject at 5 years old.