Thursday, September 01, 2011

T to the P, Knott's Berry Farm

The Plains Indians invented the teepee (or tipi or tepee, but never TP), a lightweight, portable structure that was cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I plan on building a 6 story teepee on my 30,000 acre Montana ranch. Harrison Ford lives up the road. You'll all be invited to the first Sloppy Joe night!


Anyway, not many people know that the Indians also built teepees on the land that later became Knott's Berry Farm. Here's a colorful chief who clearly loves his job - just look at the joy and happiness on his face. His tummy is a-burble with laughter. He carries a spare war bonnet around in the hopes that you will be his new best friend.


This teepee is vacant; it is spacious, light and airy. There are good schools nearby, plenty of buffalo, and a homeowner's association to keep the neighborhood tidy. Not to mention all the boysenberries you can eat! Inquiries welcome.


A third example; this one is being tented for termites, but how can you tell when a tent is being tented? You can't, that's how. The screen door had yet to be perfected in the 50's, and this example would only keep Minnesota mosquitoes out. All other kinds could come and go freely.

13 comments:

Bryce said...

You crack me up!

Chiana_Chat said...

I get dibs on the slaw?

Tipis are great but I'm pretty sure that was sparrow, stray cat and papoose screen.

Orange Co Native said...

Nice pictures Major.

LauraJ953 said...

There you go giving Minnesota a shout out again. Wish I had some of that mosquito netting this summer!

Chris Jepsen said...

The befeathered fellow in the first photo is James Ridge Whiteman (a.k.a. "Osapana Powhatan"). I just found a bunch more information about him posted at http://www.rubylane.com/item/565745-2687/Native-American-Cherokee-Indian-Osapana

Major Pepperidge said...

Bryce, thanks!

Chiana, eww, cole slaw! I can imagine a good cole slaw, but so far have never had one that wasn't gloppy or too sweet.

OC Native, I do like these pix from the 50's.

LauraJ953, my grandparents lived in Austin, and of course my dad grew up there. I spent many wonderful summers in Minnesota. Just the names of the places make me happy - Albert Lea, Blooming Prairie, Mankato, and of course Owatonna!

Chris, thank you for the info about the unhappy chief! Interesting that he was the first person to discover the Clovis site.

Anonymous said...

Hey Major, Was the indian chief in the first pic the same man who posed for tourist portraits in the Knotts Park?

Fun pics.

JG

LauraJ953 said...

Austin? Then you may just be able to appreciate the MN State Fair delicacy I enjoyed yesterday - Fried Spam Curds! We may not have many (if any that I know of) historic amusement parks, but our State Fair will give any other State Fair a run for it's money and we do have a handfull of oddities and roadside attractions like the corn cob water tower & Herman the German in New Ulm - not to mention the largest population of Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox statues.

Major Pepperidge said...

JG, I believe that there were a number of Indians who worked at Knott's over the years. My guess is that you are thinking of Chief White Eagle.

LauraJ953... I grew up with Spam (my grandpa worked at the Hormel factory), so I like it. Never heard of Spam curds though. How can Spam have curds? Or is it cheese curds (yum) with Spam? Another thing we ate a lot of was a sausage they called "ring baloney", which I NEVER liked. I've also never been to the State Fair, but I'll bet it's a doozy. Herman the German, I might have a picture of him.

LauraJ953 said...

Fried nuggets of Cheesy Spam - Spam w/ little pockets of cheese just like that other major "meat" company's cheese hot dogs. 'Nuff said.

Chris Jepsen said...

@JG: You might also be thinking of Jim "Red Feather" Brady, who was a fixture at the park for decades.

Major Pepperidge said...

Chris, maybe that's the guy, and not Chief White Eagle. I'm sure you're right!

JG said...

@Chris Jepsen, thank you!

JG