Cow Palace History

Let's keep the local historical thoughts flowing today courtesy of Bob Greene and his Wall Street Journal piece on the Cow Palace.  His main point is how quaint historic arenas are that do not draw the attention of corporate naming sponsors a la Oracle, Chase, AT&T or SAP.  But along the way he gives some nice local history which I will excerpt

Amid the cacophonous cheering at the corporate-arena National Basketball Association Finals, think a kindly thought about the Cow Palace just south of San Francisco.  But the sturdy old Cow Palace, where the Warriors played until 1971, still hosts rodeos and livestock shows.

The Cow Palace represents a lost American age when there was a certain charm to the idiosyncratic localness of hometown sports arenas. It opened its doors in 1941, and its major client was a livestock exposition. Its name was derived from a critical newspaper article, published when its construction was beginning in the midst of the Great Depression, which asked: “Why, when people are starving, should money be spent on a palace for cows?”

Over the years the Cow Palace was stocked with stars—not only the Warriors, but Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Rolling Stones, the 1956 and 1964 Republican National Conventions, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. When the era of glittering corporate-branded arenas commenced later in the 20th century, though, the Cow Palace was left behind.

At least it still stands and has clients. Other grand old big-city arenas are a memory.  As for the Cow Palace, has any thought been given to spiffing up its image by finding a corporate underwriter? Lori Marshall, the venerable arena’s CEO, told me: “I have only been at the facility for four years; however, to my knowledge we have not had any inquiries or inclination to sell naming rights.”  Probably just as well. If there’s anything that cows should be leery of, it’s branding.

I saw my first Sharks game at the Cow Palace as they awaited completion SAP arena.  And it has hosted a number of great rock shows beyond Elvis and the Beatles including U2 and ZZ Top.  As the historical and very local character of the mid-Peninsula gets hollowed out by over-development, we need to cherish the bits that are remaining.  It's hard to look at the new Facebook building crashing onto our bayfront without reminiscing about the drive-in.  Or pondering the demise of the last independent gas station in town with its quirky mannequin sitting in an old British sports car.  What is your favorite lost local landmark?

Comments

[Just Visiting]

The Circle Star Theater in San Carlos seemed exciting when I was a kid, but I never went to a show there.

I still love the Western Exterminator sign--and I always did as a kid.

[Joe]

I loved the Circle Star. Will not soon forget seeing Frank Zappa there and hearing him complain about how the crew could not find a solid electrical ground on the rotating stage. Frank was a perfectionist and was not satisfied with a slight humm.

[icrito]

I was there then as well.