Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, grew from Walter Knott's family roadside berry stand and restaurant into a major amusement park officially opened under that name in 1947. Its real beginning came with the Ghost Town built in 1940–1941 as a tribute to Western pioneers, shaped in large part by artist and designer Paul von Klieben. Over time, shops, historical displays, themed areas, and major rides transformed the site from a free informal attraction into a modern park with admission gates, expanding heavily in the late 20th century. Despite corporate ownership changes, it has retained a distinct blend of roadside business, frontier nostalgia, and regional theme-park entertainment.