The agricultural region that would later be called “Buena Park” was settled by James A. Whitaker, who purchased 690 acres of land in 1885 from Abel Stearns. Stearns, a transplanted American who became a Mexican citizen and married the young daughter of a California rancher, owned massive expanses of land throughout Southern California. The plot of farmland that Whitaker bought was flat and fertile – just right for agricultural pursuits.
But James Whitaker, a former grocery store owner from Chicago, had bigger ambitions than farming – land development. Although large portions of his land succumbed to the plow, he believed that the region’s central location between Los Angeles and colonies like Anaheim and Santa Ana, and its proximity to the beach, made it particularly desirable for residential development. Whitaker also knew that the Santa Fe railroad was in the process of laying tracks through the area. Two years after he bought his acreage, he laid out a town measuring 2.5 square miles, giving it the name “Buena Park.”
The story goes that before Whitaker purchased the land, Spanish-speaking residents had referred to the area as “Plaza Buena” meaning “good park.” There were natural water sources, stands of trees, and natural vegetation giving it a park-like setting. Whitaker Anglicized half of the name, and Buena Park was born.
The Whitaker home has been preserved and now serves as a local history museum, as well as the Historical Society’s Headquarters on Beach Boulevard.
The second person to have a great impact on Buena Park was Walter Knott. Contrary to popular belief, Knott didn’t discover the delicious berries. He did, however, take a good idea and run with it. The Knott story began in the 1930s when Walter met local horticulturalist Rudolph Boysen, who had crossed blackberry, raspberry, and loganberry plants to create a larger, heartier berry. Boysen gave up on his experiment, and the unnamed berry plants went without water or care.
Knott, who had been farming 10 rented acres for several years, heard about the new breed of berries and paid Boysen a visit. When Boysen told Knott to dig up what was left of the withered plants and to do whatever he wished with them, neither man knew that this was the beginning of a business that would eventually employ thousands of people and put Buena Park on the map.
Walter Knott was a man of vision. The small purple berries were sweet and quite delicious. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries were already popular, and finding the new type of plant was like discovering gold. Giving credit where credit was due, Walter Knott named his popular berry after its developer.
Boysenberries were almost an overnight sensation. People driving past the Knott family’s berry stand on Beach Boulevard almost always stopped to buy a basket of juicy berries, one of Mrs. Knott’s berry pies, or a few jars of jam. By 1934, the small chicken-dinner restaurant was added, making this a true tourist destination. Mr. Knott added several attractions to entertain visitors while they waited to be seated in Mrs. Knott’s chicken Dinner Restaurant in the early 1940s, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Today, Knott’s Berry Farm is the centerpiece of Buena Park’s “Entertainment Corridor.” Other tourist attractions include Knotts’ Soak City Water Park (directly across Beach Boulevard from Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park; Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” Museum; the Pirates’ Dinner Adventure Theater; Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament; and dozens of hotel, motels, and restaurants.
With nearly 3,000 employees, Knott’s Berry Farm has been the city’s main employer for decades. As America’s oldest theme park, tens of thousands of visitors come to Buena Park every year to visit Ghost Town, to experience fast-and-furious rides, or to simply enjoy one of Mrs. Knott’s famous chicken dinners and a slice of boysenberry pie.
Of course, Buena Park is also a residential area. As the popularity of the theme park grew and with it, more local jobs, the city’s population grew. And with the residents came the need for markets, schools, churches and other services. Buena Park Mall, an enclosed center that includes everything from boutique stores, to anchor tenants, to restaurants, has recently been refurbished and serves both local community and surrounding suburbs.
In spite of the fact it was founded in 1887, Buena Park wasn’t incorporated until 1953, when the city’s borders were extended to encompass a total area of just over 10 square miles. At the time of its incorporation, much of the land was still agricultural. The census for 1900 registered 995 registered men, women and children living in Buena Park. By 2004, that number had increased to 81,000 by 2004.
Like so many other communities in Orange County, Buena Park’s fields have given way to development. The demographics have changed in the past two decades, and Buena Park’s ethnic population now includes Korean, Chinese, East Indian and Vietnamese-American immigrants and their children. A side result of these ethnicities is that there are many wonderful Asian-themed restaurants and food distribution centers scattered throughout the city, including “Indian Village,” where products from the world’s second most populated country are sold. In addition, a large percentage of the population is Hispanic and African-American.
The community’s largest annual event is Silverado Days, a festival that draws more than 200,000 people from Buena Park and surrounding cities. Held in William Peak Park, this three-day event features games, contests, (hog calling, pie-eating, chili cook off, car show, World Amateur Arm Wrestling, dog show, and a Karaoke contest). It all adds up to heaps of old-fashioned fun and, at the same time, raises thousands of dollars for local charities. This extravaganza has been held for 50 years.
It has been a long time since the train stopped in Buena Park, but in early 2007, a new Metrolink Station will open. Not only will this provide transportation for residents who work in other parts of Southern California, the Metrolink will make it more convenient for anyone wishing to visit one of the attractions that line Beach Boulevard.This should be particularly useful during October, when Knott’s Berry Farm is transformed into Knott’s Scary Farm. Another original idea developed by Knott’s, the Halloween Haunt is now imitated by theme parks all over the country.
Another one of Buena Park’s amenities is the Los Coyotes County Club, a beautifully appointed, private golf and country club set among the rolling hills on the north end of the city. It’s strictly members only.
There are two sites at the country club with a great deal of historical significance. First, Abel Stearns’ adobe rancho headquarters was once located on what is now the golf course. Secondly, in 1847, Commodore Robert S. Stockton led a group of American troops to the area and camped near what is now the country club. In one of the most decisive battles of the Mexican War (1846-48), Stockton’s forces defeated the Mexican soldiers, a victory that helped win California for the United States. A commemorative plaque marks the place of Stockton’s encampment.
For decades, the internationally renowned Knott’s Berry Farm theme park and its sister water park, Knott’s Soak City, have brought tens of thousands of tourists to the little city located in northwestern Orange County. Although Knott’s is no longer owned by Walter Knott’s descendants, it remains Buena Park’s most important industry.