The Haunted Shack, Knott's Berry Farm, Ca. (1954 - 2000)

During the early part of the century, a strange roadside phenomena occurred. Places where the geomagnetic forces appeared to be mis-aligned... places where gravity and light were distorted. People promoted the gimmick as a tourist attraction where round objects and streams run uphill, folks walked on walls, brooms stand on end.
Such sites were:
• The Mystery Shack at Calico Ghost Town, Yermo, CA
• The Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz, CA
• The Oregon Vortex House of Mystery Gold Hill, OR
• Confusion Hill Gravity House, Percy, CA
• Cosmos of the Black Hills, Rapid City, SD
• The Teton Mystery, Jackson, WY
• Confusion Hill, Ligonier, PA
• The Wonder Spot, Lake Delton, WI
• Mystery Spot, St. Ignace, MI
• Mystery Hill, Irish Hills, MI & Marblehead, OH
• Mysterious Tuttle House, North Woodstock, NH
• Mystery Hill, Blowing Rock, NC
• Mystery Shack, NC
• Spook Hill, Lake Wales, FL
• Casa Magnetica, Arlington, TX
• Magnetic Mine Shack, Brainerd, MN
• Mystery Shack, Maggie Valley, NC
Knott's Berry Farm had a haunted shack that was moved directly from the ghost town of Calico, CA. Fortunately for Walter Knott and his family business, he moved it to another, equally powerful geomagnetic anomaly!!! The house of strange phenomena was opened in June of 1954. Daily tours revealed the gravity defying mysteries as told by Slanty Sam in "The Legend of the Haunted Shack."
Your wisecracking guide walked you through a mysterious shack where water ran uphill, chairs balanced precariously on walls, and bad jokes abound. For a sample of the humor you were subjected to, a barrel in the waiting area warned you of its dangerous "Baby Rattlers." It was filled with very small rattles. News of the planned replacement of Knott's Haunted Shack hit the public in early 2000. Due to the attraction's age, operational cost, declining attendance and lack of ADA (Americans With Disabilities) requirements, Knott's decided to remove the attraction to allow room for a new roller coaster. This news was met by great sadness from both enthusiasts and normal, everyday patrons. The Shack was a staple of Knott's Berry Farm, and a reminder of the slower and more unique attractions which used to dominate the Farm.
The Haunted Shack's last patrons went through in September 2000, right before it was transformed into Dead Man's Wharf for Halloween Haunt. As soon as Haunt closed for the season, the Shack closed forever. As soon as the final Haunt props were removed, the destruction began.