1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake struck the Northern California coast at 5:12am on Wednesday, April 18. With an estimated magnitude of 7.9 and the epicenter only a few miles from the heart of the city, the earthquake and ensuing fire devastated what was the largest west coast city in America at the time.
Intense shaking was felt as far north as Eureka, California and eastward into Nevada. City-wide fires erupted shortly after the quake, lasting for several days. As many as 3,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives and more than 80% of San Francisco was completely destroyed. Approximately 300,000 people (of an estimated 410,000) were rendered homeless practically overnight.
Looking Down Sacramento Street
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Photo: Sacramento Street – April 18, 1906. From As I Remember by local photographer Arnold Genthe: This photograph shows “the results of the earth quake, the beginning of the fire and the attitude of the people.” The famous photo was taken on the morning of the first day of the fire from Sacramento Street at Miles Place (now Miller Place) near Powell Street, looking towards the Bay. (Arnold Genthe / Library of Congress / Public Domain)
Photo shows several people standing outside homes that have been thrown off their foundations at Howard and 18th Street – 1906. (Bancroft Library / Public Domain)
1906 San Francisco Earthquake – Ruins in the vicinity of Post and Grant Avenue, looking northeast. (Wikipedia / Public Domain)
Ruins of The Emporium – Market Street. (Bancroft Library / Public Domain)
Third St at Mission – People in street among the ruins and rubble, possibly looting. Fire burning close by. (California Historical Society / Public Domain)
Broken sidewalk on Howard Street showing a shift in the ground of at least three feet. (Miles Brothers / Public Domain)
Woman posing among the ruins on Jones St. – O’Farrell to Geary, looking west, opposite 512 Jones St. (California Historical Society / Public Domain)
1906 San Francisco Earthquake Ruins
Photo shows ruins at Pine Street, Taylor to Jones – View from south slope of Nob Hill looking southeast toward downtown. Call Building shown in distance, left side. (Bancroft Library / Public Domain)
Remains of the Grant Building. (Miles Brothers / Public Domain)
Soldiers and police sifting through shoe boxes. (California Historical Society / Public Domain)
Photo shows body of looter shot by soldiers and Left to burn in the fire. Man was allegedly looting Shreve & Co Jewelers – Grant Ave at Post Street. This photo was used as a postcard. (California Historical Society / Public Domain)
San Francisco Girl’s High School showing after effects of the earthquake with several sections severely damaged. (Miles Brothers / Public Domain)
San Francisco City Hall in ruins. (Bancroft Library / Public Domain)
Spreckles Mansion – Van Ness Avenue at Clay Street after the fire had subsided. A hand-written note with the photo says “One time when money did not count – The offer of a million dollars by Spreckles to the fireman had no effect to save his mansion.” (California Historical Society / Public Domain)
Photo shows Union Square in San Francisco five days after the earthquake, in the course of construction – April 23, 1906. Photographed from one of the steel girders in the Nathan, Dohrman Building – S.W. corner of Geary & Stockton. (California Historical Society / Public Domain)
1906 San Francisco Earthquake ruins. Photo shows Gough and Page Street, with City Hall and Call Building identified. (Bancroft Library / Public Domain)
San Francisco Earthquake – Lower end O’Farrell Street before the fire broke out. (Bancroft Library / Public Domain)
Here we have two photos showing a statue of Agassiz that was thrown from the Zoology building at Stanford University. Stanford is approximately 35 miles away from San Francisco, but still felt the effects of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Men guarding bank safes on Sutter Street before the fire. (Miles Brothers / Public Domain)
Photo shows people walking and riding horse and buggies throughout the earthquake ruins. Taken from top of the Ferry Building. (Miles Brothers / Public Domain)
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake is one of the deadliest events in the history of the United States. The death toll is the largest loss of life from a natural disaster in California history and ranks among one of the highest urban disasters in all other states as well.