SeeCalifornia.com

Sleigh Bells Ring… are you listening? Inside the Western Trails Museum at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town you can gaze at 223-year-old sleigh bells while hearing faint sounds such as the jingle-jangle of bells worn by horses pulling  the Butterfield Stage Coach outside. Not only does Knott’s Berry Farm’s Calico Ghost Town honor Western culture with its buildings (such as the Bottle House,) vintage vehicles, entertainment, and even a blacksmith, it showcases authentic artifacts in the wonderful Western Trails Museum. The museum is free with admission and free to see Monday-Thursday during Knott’s Merry Farm, an annual event held Thanksgiving through December 24.

Some unique items in the museum:

• One of the biggest collection of buttons in the world
• 1878 Model of Edison’s First Lamp
• Telescope used in 3 wars — Mexican War of 1845, Civil War and Indian Wars
• Rifles and guns dating to pre-Civil War
• Women’s beaded bags made in Wales in 1825 and brought to California during the Gold Rush
• Barbed wire collection
• Branding iron collection
• Mills Violano Vituoso that once played a violin when you inserted coins into a machine
• Photos, menus, memorabilia from Knott’s early days
• Clothing, medicine bottles, medical equipment
• Silverware used by miners during the Gold rush