This image, circa 1940s, shows Ocean Beach and the Playland at the Beach
amusement park, which was a fixture at the PacificOcean for decades. The
amusement park hosted food, games, a fun house(with the animated clown
Laughing Sal), roller coaster and other thrilling rides. In the background in the
center of the picture, the Dutch Windmill in Golden Gate Park can be seen. The
windmill was instrumental in providing water for the
park to convert sand dunes into a landscaped environment. Photo courtesy of a private collector/Western Neighborhoods Project.