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Knott's Ghost Town - The American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Con 42 at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

After the huge success of the "volcano" and silver mine the idea came to Walter about adding a little bit of the old west for his guests to explore as they awaited a table at the Diner.  With that Knott's Ghost Town came to be and this is where his little berry farm became a theme park.

Knott's Ghost Town - The American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Con 42 at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

Needing help to bring his vision to life Walter brought in artists Paul Swartz from Peoria, IL and Paul von Klieben from Austria.  Both artists; despite being from two places completely removed from the old west, had a passion for the history and architecture of the Southwest and they put that to work creating the Ghost Town.

Knott's Ghost Town -  The American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Con 42 at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

With Walter and the two Pauls vision of taking guests back to a real town of the 1880's throughout the 1940's and 1950's the town of Calico came to life with addition after addition.

Knott's Ghost Town - The American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Con 42 at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

Some of the buildings for Knott's Ghost Town are real buildings saved from real ghost towns across California.

Knott's Ghost Town -  The American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Con 42 at Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California

What Makes Knott's Ghost Town so special is that Walter and the two Pauls didn't just build the town but the populated it with real people who made Calico come to life.



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Paul B. Drabek