More about Buena Park California

Buena Park is a city in Orange County an is home to an estimated 78,282 residents as of 2000. The city was first founded in 1887 when James A. Whitaker purchased 690 acres of land from the Rancho Coyote land grant. The city was officially incorporated in 1953 and started as a agricultural center, specializing in dairy, citrus and wine, but today it functions as a residential community. There is some confusion about how the city received its name, one theory is that Whitaker used the name of a Chicago suburb, also named Buena Park, however, the city in Illinois was named at the same time. The other theory is that local settlers referred to the area as “Plaza Buena” meaning “good park” in Spanish; Mixing the Spanish and English to make Buena Park, shows the influence of the Hispanic community on the area. The city is known for several points of interest including Knott’s Berry Farm, Knott”s Soak City, Medieval Times, Movieland Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. Knott’s Berry Farm, originally opened in the 1940s when the line for the Knott’s restaurant was several hours long and the couple that owned it wanted to entertain their guests with “Ghost town” that used homes from original ghost towns such as Calico, California. Another attraction, Medieval Times, allows guests to come, eat dinner and enjoy a show filled with jousting, sword fights and knights. Both the Movieland Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not have closed, but they were well-know attractions in the city; before its closing, the wax museum was one of the largest in the world. The city also has its own historical park situated on Beach Boulevard. The structures on this road are historical buildings preserved by the city, including the Whitaker-Jaynes House, Stage Stop Hotel, Tice House and the Bacon House which is possibly the oldest structure in the area. The city is also home to a 75-year-old multi-faced street clock, which was relocated in front of the Whitaker-Jaynes house overlooking Beach Boulevard in 2009 after its stay in Knott’s Berry Farm and a two year restoration.