San Francisco's Playland at the Beach: The Early Years 1914-1945 with author and Playland historian James R. Smith February 7, 2012

Step right up and take a peek back in time as historian James R. Smith reveals a bygone era of seaside amusement in San Francisco. With rare photos and stories from his fascinating book "San Francisco’s Playland at the Beach: The Early Years," Smith brings the midway to life in this lively lecture about the city's greatest amusement park during its early heyday from 1914-1945.

Start your evening with a private viewing of the Conservatory's delightful garden railway exhibition, "Playland at the Conservatory." Try your hand at vintage arcade games and chat with former Playland carny Marvin Gold. Then sit back and enjoy the ride as Smith explores the phenomenon that was Playland at the Beach.

California historian James R. Smith is the author of "San Francisco’s Playland at the Beach: The Early Years," "San Francisco's Lost Landmarks" and co-author of "The California Snatch Racket: Kidnappings in the Prohibition and Depression Eras." A well-respected authority on San Francisco history, he has spent many years researching and chronicling the stories of San Francisco and California. He is a fourth-generation native of San Francisco and a sixth-generation Californian.

Official Website: http://www.conservatoryofflowers.org/events/specialevents