‘She Creatures from the Wharf Lagoon’ (For Applebee’s)

Actually, they weren’t she creatures; they were a couple of cute society girls named Claire Zwieg and Marjorie Wilson, and they probably didn’t have any trouble getting the nice fishermen to take their pictures all around the Fisherman’s Wharf Boat Lagoon in March of 1938. The vintage photos are from the UC Berkeley Library Archives. (Thumbnail images)

 

“Hey, Cappy, does your wittle boat go fast?”
“Lady, you talk like that when you get onboard, and I’ll throw your ass off my boat!”
Looking back toward where the Alioto’s and Fishermen’s Grotto Buildings would eventually be. You can see Coit Tower on the right in both images. I love the fisherman’s cap on the one girl.

“I wonder if I’ll get in trouble if I ring this bell.”
“Honey, I don’t think they’ll mind much what we do!”
The building behind them was demolished in the 1960s, and the chapel in the background is there now.

“I like this boat better!”
“No, we’re on the same one. Tim just switched boats.”

 

“Hey, look! I can see Applebee’s!”
“Yeah, maybe in about 75 years!”

 

Speaking of Applebee’s, it was nice of the girls there to let me go out on their glass terrace to get my update of this 1939 view of Jefferson and Taylor Streets.

 

Looking southwest from walkway in the middle of the lagoon in 1938: You can’t see Ghirardelli Square from here anymore.