Knott's Berry Farm Theme Park

The boysenberry is a hybrid berry—part loganberry, raspberry, and blackberry—and Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park is a unique combination itself: an intriguing bit of Southern California history that grew into a classic theme park with lots of local flavor.

The theme park’s story began in the Great Depression, when a farmer named Walter Knott started having success growing the purplish berries on his family farm in Orange County. The adjoining tea shop that his wife Cordelia opened in 1934—serving fried chicken and boysenberry pie—became so popular that the Knotts added an Old West attraction to keep their waiting customers occupied, and the theme park was born. Rollercoasters and live shows were added starting in the 1950s, and the Halloween event Knott’s Scary Farm launched in 1974.