World's Fair Trip

When I, Myrna, was about 8 years of age, my family decided it would be a good trip to go to the 1939 world's fair in San Francisco. It was called The Golden Gate International Exposition. To prepare, Dad outfitted the car with a "chuck box" on the rear bumper. It was very convenient.

It was about 4ft tall and 5ft wide and about 2ft deep. It was slanted with shelves inside. The front opened to swing down to make a table and all the necessities to fix a meal were right at hand. It was quite ingenious. Dad was always making clever things. We stopped along the way to eat and camped out at night. People did that in those days.

The family consisted of Velma, Eunice, Frank and me. I was the baby of the family then. The four of us kids were in the back seat with Mom and Dad in the front. I remember standing up a lot so we could see the road better. Eunice and Velma had the window seats so Frank and I stood up.

One time the road was by a rail road track and Dad kicked the car's speed up to keep pace with the train going by. We were all so excited when he got clear up to 60 mile per hour!! That was unusual then.

We stayed some times with relatives. I remember an Aunt Joanne. From the first I loved her. I don't know how long we stayed but she was so sweet to me. I know the rest of the family enjoyed visiting there too.

I don't remember a lot about the fair but we went to the ocean. That was such fun. I'd never seen it before. Mother had bought me some red tennis shoes and I loved them. I took them off so they wouldn't get wet. I put them on the beach up far enough that the waves couldn't reach them, or so I thought, but when I went to get them they were gone!!. I guess the waves came up farther than I thought.

Mom, Dad and my two sisters wanted to go visit a place they thought Frank and I wouldn't enjoy so they took us to a playground. They wanted us to stay there and get us later, but I was too afraid to be left so they took us with them. Was I spoiled? I don't know. I didn't think so.

One night we stayed in a big motel. The Mission Bell . It was close to San Francisco and was a very nice place. But I got sick in the night. I threw up in the bed. Mom and Dad weren't sure what to do so they decided to turn the mattress over. When they did they found that someone else had already turned it over! It was worse on the other side.