BOOMER by Tim Engel (smallest ebook reader txt) 📕

was accepted as a brother by the Arapahoe on the Wind River Reservation.
After leaving the military at the rank of brigadier General, he was asked by the Famous Players-Laskey to provide Indian extras for a Western extravaganza called The Covered Wagon produced in 1923. He starred with Joan Crawford in 1928’s The Law of the Range. Tim went on to acting and touring with his own Wild West Show. Then came WWII and Tim volunteered for the Army Air Corps working in Liaison work and winning several decorations. He then decided to retire from the Army and show business. But Hollywood called again…
In 1952 he hosted The Ti m McCoy Show – giving kids an authentic lesson on American history. His co-anchor was Iron Eyes Cody. Although Cody was of Italian descent, many Americans thought he was an authentic Native American. Tim’s show won an emmy award.
Dad was faithful in his allegiance to Tim McCoy. In one of his many books (some of which I now own) was a newspaper clipping noting the passing of the great cowboy and actor in 1978. I don’t know enough about Tim McCoy – but I do know that he is honorably mentioned in the Gene Autry Museum in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Tom and I took Dad to the Gene Autry museum several times. Each time we saw some of the same collection, but every time there was a new collection on rotation at the museum. Whether it was cowboy technology or western art, there is always something to enjoy at the Autry.
I think the burros had done this route a few times. It was like they were on auto-pilot. Cruising through ghost town and all parts of the Knotts park. One of our favorite things to do during the Holidays was to go to Knott’s and visit Santa Claus. The annual crafts fair runs around Thanksgiving until Christmas. People bring out their crafts and many create their art on the spot. Included are such treasures as ‘coin art’, jewelry, glass jewelry, shirts, jackets, tie-dye, names written in artful ways, names on rice, turquoise rings, and leather wares. Everything is fun to look at and some to buy. I have bought some silver jewelry here. We would have family get togethers here. You get into the park for brining a new toy for tots. The Marines collect the toys, you get admission to the park and crafts faire. We all walk around the park and catch up on family stuff. Hugs and kisses all around.
As the kids got older they opted to go on some rides which we all agreed was fine. We would top off the visit with a trip to Cordelia Knott’s Chicken Pie Dinner Restaurant. Now, for about $10 you were going to get a meal. You’d start off with biscuits. As many as you want. With butter and preserves. Not any preserves, but Knott’s brand! Now I would be the first to remind you to eat responsibly and to work on being fit. But a trip to Mrs Knott’s restaurant is something to remember…and something to look forward to.
They bring out a big platter of biscuits covered in a white cotton cloth to keep them warm. All the butter and preserves you want. The biscuits are small, but yummy. Those kind of calories you don’t really need, but really enjoy. Next comes vegetables – corn. Then they serve a salad or soup. The entrée of course is chicken – but they have other choices as well. Ribs, pot roast, chicken pot pie, and chicken fried steak. I usually get the chicken or the ribs. And then there is the drink – why not have boysenberry punch? And dessert – boysenberry pie? I think the price is up around $15 now. But well worth it. And the restaurant also serves lunch and breakfast. Plenty of food for everyone and food that everyone in the family will enjoy.
Looking back as a youngster one of my favorite things to do was to go to the display of rocks, figures, sculptures, statues and what not that glowed in the dark. They had lights on when you entered, then turned the lights out and you could see many things glowing in the dark. Also, I believe they had black lights on which really made the items glow brightly. I found out later that this was a collection of Walter’s son Russell. I didn’t know any better – to me, this was one of the best attractions at KBF. Well, this and the haunted shack! I’m not sure exactly how the transaction occurred, but I think it went something like this. Hey, Dad – wouldn’t it be cool if we could have one of these glow in the dark things? Yeah, I suppose. What did you have in mind? That skull – it’s only $5. In those days I think Dad made about $4.50 an hour. So in 1963 this was a lot of money. ‘Only $5’. Well, we’ll think about it. It would be so cool to have it in our bedroom. It would be like a night light. Tom – don’t you think it would be neat? Yeah, sure. “How about if you pay for it with your allowance?,” Dad asked. Oh – he had me there. OK, I can do that! That would be five weeks worth, right? Yes. OK – sounds good. The skull was a pretty good knock-off of a human skull and it had been coated with some kind of material that once exposed to light, would glow in the dark. It glowed an other worldly bluish-green. And it was bright.
As a young boy growing up in the 60s this was the epitome of cool. I a m not quite sure how you describe this. We wanted to be scared just short of death and we wanted things that were high tech, different, hard to explain. Now – you take a glow in the dark skull and you get all of them in one item. One collectible goody. Dad dug into his wallet of hard earned money and plunked down the $5 and the glowing, scary, high tech, human skull, scary as heck sculpture was mine. The skull took its proper and prominent place on the dresser staring out and Tom and I at 4823 Hayter. I remember taking the brightest flashlight I could get my hands on and ‘charging’ that thing up as much as possible so that it would glow like a light house.
OK, Tom – turn out the light! He did and the eerie glow of the blue skull emanated from the dresser. You didn’t stare at the skull, you kind of peeked at it because it seemed to stare back from the hollow dark eyes. Just as Garloo scared the bejeezus out of my generation, now I had a screaming glowing, beaming skull that would lull us to sleep here in Lakewood, California. Imagine. Everyone would want my skull. All the kids would want to be scared to death, too! Does it get any cooler than this? Fright, joy, elation, excitement, wonder; the beauty of it. It glows in the dark. It’s magical! I’m sure Mom must have had some thoughts about putting a skull on the dresser. Probably not her idea of the best kind of knick-knack to add to the repertoire. Probably nothing like this in Solvang; the place my brother would aptly name “The Knick-Knack capital of the world.” There were statues of Mother Mary, Jesus, plain old rocks and minerals. You name it. I figured Russell must be a very lucky boy. And to have your collection become an attraction at America’s first them park. Well, that’s just the greatest!
The glow in the dark attraction was called Inspiration House. The door would open and a glowing Jesus would appear and give a message to the group. This attraction was located by the Chapel next to the lake.
KBF had the only operating Church in a them park. The Church of Reflections was originally built in 1876 and was a First Baptist Church in nearby Downey. Walter bought the Church had it disassembled and rebuilt next to Reflections Lake – and it became the Church of Reflections. We would often wander in and visit the beautiful little Church with the steeple. Sunday service was held here and weddings could also be arranged.
Also on the grounds was the original stand used by Walter and Cordelia to sell Boysenberries back in the 20s. A little slice of Americana. I admired the little stand – it was about 12 feet long, 8 feet high, and 5 feet deep. It had a door that rose up in the front so that you could ‘close shop’ at the end of the day and secure the contents.
Disneyland had burro rides, too. Not to be outdone. Walter was at the forefront having the first theme park in America. But Disney was just up the street. A large strand of orange trees would give way to trains, attractions, and goodies of all kinds. When Knott hired an engineer to design and build the Calico Mine Ride, there was one very curious future customer and competitor out front watching the progress. One Walt Disney. He watched closely as Knott’s engineer worked for over a year to design, develop, and complete the ride. Disney would, of course, have his own train rides. Like many boys who never grow up, he loved trains and wanted to employ the use of trains in his theme park. And he would.
James Whitcomb Riley Elementary School was where I went to school. Generally I did well in school and had the occasional issue arise. I attended school here from Kindergarten through 5th grade. As a kindergartener I remember the sand box, Mrs. French and her beautiful hair-do, the heat which came up from the floor. How did they do that? The heat radiated up through the floor. Seemed like a good idea, since heat rises. In Kindergarten we took naps. We had mats and we got them out and put clean sheets on them and laid down for naps every day. I don’t know if they do this now in most Kindergartens, but I do know that recent studies suggest it’s a good idea to take a nap every day. Good for stress, memory, energy, productivity; you name it. Seems like a good idea. In Europe they take sometimes 2 hours for lunch so that they can include healthy habits like naps. Google Corporation has places for people to nap and get massages. Google also has people to take care of parking tickets, take out your laundry and dry cleaning, car servicing, and more. There are up sides and down sides to this. It sounds like perks and it is. But it also helps to keep the employee working more efficiently and longer. The upside? Increased efficiency and productivity. The downside? More hours