Pat French Swendsen: World's Fair inspired Wild West Theme Show

What happens to San Francisco when land is excavated near Fort Point to sink pillars and build a bridge across the Golden Gate?

You take that dirt and build an island. And on that island you hold a World's Fair.

The mood in the Richmond District in the late 1930s was that of a festival, enhanced by the Presidio with its historic background and major events.

All the major thrills that came with the World's Fair being located on Treasure Island was echoed by the playful response of the neighborhood, which included the amazing conversion of Clement Street to a Wild West settlement with everyone adopting a costume.

A make-shift Kangaroo Court was erected on a corner to mete out justice for those who didn't meet the dress code.

On Clement Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues, was the Far West Hobby Shop, which spread out over two different store fronts. The store carried an amazing array of antiques, including revolvers, gorgeous bisque baby dolls from Germany and England, fearsome animal-skin throw rugs and cane rocking chairs in oak frames.

George Windahl, who lived on Fifth Avenue, was a talented and skilled craftsman from the old school. He was called upon to cover the store's tile front with shaggy splits of redwood to give it an old-fashioned and authentic look.

People walked around in cottons, denims, cowboy hats and handkerchiefs - seriously going about business as usual. Some businesses had bales of hay for seats in front of their digs.

At the schools, children went to class dressed as miners, cowboys or Tom Sawyer.

Clement Street was always a special combination of stores; good stores like the Coliseum Store for Men, the upscale dress shop on the corner of Ninth Avenue and the Poll Parrot Shoe store. GallenKamps had a real "giant's" shoe in the window and Pinelli's flower store had live rabbits and chickens in the window at Easter.

But then the theme of the Old West took over, except for in the most staid stores, like Sheehan's Dry Goods, which was so authentic in its contents and sales personnel that it was like stepping into another era. There you could purchase ribbon, potions and spools of thread. An aquarium supply store is currently in the space that Sheehan's occupied.

Further down Clement was Wakely's Drug Store, with its huge scale for customers and passersby. It was a marvel from the turn of the century. There was also another scale for weighing items in the store. It was smaller and cost a penny.

Then there was Steele's variety store which didn't change its facade or personality for the World's Fair.

If you collected stamps, coins, marbles, charms or needed a skate key, it was easy to find at Steele's. There were boxes laid out on the counter and tables which held a conglomeration of every odd part that was ever made or needed.

Kids loved to go shopping for their mothers on Clement - especially to the butcher's, where he gave out slices of baloney to the kids.

Free cookies were handed out to kids at the bakery as well.

At Bank Market, chickens were dressed before your eyes in a mysterious ritual.

Neighborhood youth tried out for parts in the Panorama of the Golden West - a grand historical pageant of early San Francisco. The cavalcade honored the wonder of the Golden Gate and the Golden Gate Bridge, with folks dressed up as Spanish Dons and senoritas and Franciscan friars.

The play was a wonderful mix of events from our past that started with the discovery of the Bay, "too long shrouded in fog and hiding from its great destiny.

Pat French Swendsen is a long-time Richmond District resident.