The Vosti Boys Go to the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition

A highlight the Vosti boys remembered for the rest of their lives was a trip to the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939. Lois and Henry drove the boys, ages 12, 11 and 10 years old, from Modesto to San Francisco. The fair was held on Treasure Island…an island that didn’t even exist until the Expo.

*An overhead image of the Expo from a batch of recently rediscovered photos of the Expo (SF Chronicle)*

The theme of the Expo was “”Pageant of the Pacific” and was meant to showcase the cultures and goods of all of the nations that surrounded the Pacific Ocean, as well as to celebrate the completion of the Oakland Bay Bridge (1936) and the Golden Gate Bridge (1937) (Wikipedia). The Expo was open from February 1939-October 1939, and was so popular that it reopened from May 1940-September 1940. Treasure Island, located next to Yerba Buena Island, hosted the event.

*Golden Gate International Exposition Map (1939)*

Treasure Island was actually an artificial island built by dredging. The idea was that after the Expo, it would become the San Francisco Airport, but the war intervened and the island became a naval base until 1997.

*Henry and Lois Vosti and their three sons at the Golden Gate International Expo in 1939*

Ken Vosti remembered that the fair was filled with exhibits on agriculture and science. There was also a Wild West Show and an amusement park area with rides called the “Gayway” (a name chosen by a contest held prior to the Expo). Dressed in their Sunday best, like everyone else attending the fair, Ken, Gordon and Don visited exhibits about China, Japan, Southeast Asia, the Islands of the Pacific, and South America…all pretty exotic fare for three farm boys from the Central Valley. The boys never forgot the things they saw at the Expo and all three went on to become scientists or doctors.

Ken also remembered the one of the highlights of the Expo for Henry was the chance to go see Sally Rand’s show. Sally was a notorious exotic dancer and her show, Sally Rand’s Nude Ranch, was a big hit at the expo!!