Memories of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition
The End of a Great Fair
CHAPTER 8: GOLDEN GATE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION—1939
The Planning Begins
Building the Exposition
The Exposition City and Its Exhibits
State and Federal Buildings and Facilities
International Participation
The Joy Zone
The Golden Gate International Exposition Experience
The End of a Great Fair
A Young View of the Golden Gate International Exposition
CHAPTER 9: SAN FRANCISCO’S RESTAURANTS OF THE PAST
The Poodle Dog
The French Room—Clift Hotel Menu
The Italians
Eating Chinese
Theme Restaurants
Coffee Dan’s
The Domino Club
An Exile’s Toast
CHAPTER 10: SAN FRANCISCO’S EARLY GRAND HOTELS
San Francisco’s Early Hotels
The Niantic Hotel
Gold Rush Hotels
San Francisco’s First Grand Hotels
The Lick House
The Grand Hotel
Senator Sharon and Miss Hill at the Grand Hotel
The Palace Hotel
The Baldwin Hotel
Nearly the End of an Era
Acknowledgements
While I take full responsibility for the content of this book, I couldn’t have done it by myself. Those history writers who put pen to paper prior to the writing of this book led the way and I’m indebted to them. Not that I took all for fact but they provided a starting place and yes, inspiration. The San Francisco Public Library’s Main Branch has been my primary source for research and research support, especially the Herb Caen Magazines and Newspapers Center and the San Francisco History Center on the sixth floor. Pat, Selby, and Susan each provided kind, patient support in spite of my hurried requests and myriad questions. The California Historical Society and the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society have each played a key role in the creation of this book, as has the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco and the San Francisco Genealogy website SFGenealogy.com; many thanks to Pamela Storm Wolfskill and Ron Filion for retaining history as a major part of that site. I also owe Ron for his serious research and transcriptions (http://www.zpub.com/sf50/sf/), which he so willingly shared.
A number of people have shared their expertise in areas that are less than well documented. Claudine Chalmers, author of Splendide Californie, 2002, and a number of articles on the French in early California, provided invaluable information and guidance on that topic, including the history of the Poodle Dog restaurant. Her website is www.FrenchGold.com for those interested in the subject. Cal Lalanne, grandson of Calixte Lalanne of the nineteenth century Old Poodle Dog and owner of the final incarnation, kindly offered insight into his family and their restaurants. In the same manner, John T. Freeman offered guidance through the maze of the various Chutes locations. His in-depth article on that topic just appeared in The Argonaut-Journal of the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society, Vol. 14 No. 2, Winter 2003. Bill Roddy shared his experiences in San Francisco during the thirties, both directly and through his www.AmericaHurrah.com website. Additionally, a large number of kind folks offered images, anecdotes and histories to help personalize this history. My warmest thanks to all of them.
Ruth Grady Skewis was quick to recall or research incidents and places from her life in “da Mish,” the Mission District of San Francisco. She also provided encouragement and some great editing. Matt O’Neil and wife Mary Ellen also shared their memories, especially of the restaurants and the Golden Gate International Exposition. My dad’s best friend, Bud Clark, shared stories of growing up in San Francisco. Friendships like that come once in a lifetime, if one is lucky. My sincere thanks to all!
John Freeman is owed special recognition for clarifying the history of The Chutes and for his input on Playland. James Jarvis pointed out the exact location of the Cobweb Palace which I have since verified.
Finally, I owe my family a great debt of gratitude for its support and encouragement as well as their tolerance. My wife Liberty stuck by me through the whole process, overlooking the busy hours and offering her great editing skills and suggestions, as well as urging me on. No man deserves to be this lucky.
Introduction
San Francisco’s Lost Landmarks: A City in Perpetual Transition offers an opportunity to look back at earlier times, lives, and lifestyles. Little comparison is made to what the city is now and as you’ll find, the tone remains as neutral as possible except in a couple of instances. No attempt was made to judge those times or these—San Francisco is unique in that it is for the most part amoral but not immoral. It has always been a “live and let live” place populated by people who dare to take risks.
San Francisco’s city emblem, the phoenix, is as applicable today as always. The city continually renews and reinvents itself. I meet people who tell me they won’t go to the city any more because it’s become so dark and sinful; yes, it has changed and not necessarily for the better. Yet it’s no more dark or sinful than it ever was. Part of that is media sensationalism and part the sanitation of old memories, and I’m as guilty of the latter as anyone else. Yes, the city had changed, but the factor of change is ongoing, because it, more than any other city in the world, embraces change.
So please take this book as a fun look backward, with stories and illustrations of the days, events, and places that we have built on. History doesn’t have to be serious, so enjoy and take from this what you will.
Sand dunes like these covered most of the western side of San Francisco, as well as a good part of the remainder. —Photo courtesy of San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
Chapter 1
The Original Land and Shores: Sculpting a City
In 1847, American San Francisco was not exactly ideal for the local inhabitants. The hills were too steep for daily walking and for heavily laden, horse-drawn wagons. The sand, marshland, shallow lakes and meandering streams were obstructions to a well-planned city. The shallow coves and mudflats were barriers to efficient handling of ships’ cargos and