California Earthquakes

video.htm Why an earthquake can cause so much destruction.

San Francisco 1906

San Francisco was a vibrant, busy city with over 200,000 inhabitants.

"At almost precisely 5:12 a.m. local time, a foreshock occurred with sufficient force to be felt widely throughout the San Francisco Bay area. The great earthquake broke loose some 20 to 25 seconds later, with an epicenter near San Francisco... Violent shocks punctuated the strong shaking, which lasted some 45 to 60 seconds. The earthquake was felt from southern Oregon to south of Los Angeles and inland as far as central Nevada."- Bill Ellsworth Video shown side by side – Before and after the earthquake

The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 Three surviving structures in the Financial District can be seen in this dramatic photo. At far left is the Kohl Building on Montgomery Street, the Merchants' Exchange Building on California and, in the center of the picture, the Mills Building on Montgomery Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco. “Panorama of the Destroyed City.” Online. February 13,

“A stunning photograph of the destruction in the area of North Beach and Chinatown. The steel-framed Sentinel Building, owned by political boss Abe Ruef, was under construction at Kearny and Columbus at the time of the earthquake, and is still standing. The Montgomery Block is at the end of Columbus, at far left of the image. The Montgomery Block is now the site of the TransAmerica Pyramid. The wrecked Hall of Justice can be seen at right - The Chinatown Holiday Inn occupies the site. Columbus Avenue was known before the earthquake as Montgomery Avenue.” Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco

Streets buckled and cracked and were difficult to travel They were cleared quickly to allow access to all parts of the city.

Homes tilted, fell, and wrecked the one next door.

Hotel St. Francis northwest corner of Powell and Geary streets. Looking southwest from Post and Stockton streets. (Image from the Steinbrugge Collection of the UC Berkeley Earthquake Engineering Research Center) U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey Page URL:

April 18, 1906 San Francisco was wrecked by a Great Earthquake at 5:13 a.m., and then destroyed by the seventh Great Fire that burned for four days. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of trapped persons died when South-of-Market tenements collapsed as the ground liquefied beneath them. Most of those buildings immediately caught fire, and trapped victims could not be rescued. Reevaluation of the 1906 data, during the 1980s, placed the total earthquake death toll at more than 3,000 from all causes. Damage was estimated at $500,000,000 in 1906 dollars. Timeline of the San Francisco Earthquake April , 1906 This timeline is excerpted from Gladys Hansen’s “Chronology of the Great Earthquake, and the Graft Investigations.” Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco. “Timeline of the San Francisco Earthquake.” Online. February 13, The timeline provides information about how the army, navy, artillery, police, fire, and civilian authorities began the clean up effort. This effort was greatly hindered by the fires that raged all over the city when buildings collapsed and gas lines were broken. Any looters spotted in the ruins were shot on sight.

Video from San Francisco taken shortly after the earthquake and fire. The street has already been cleared and people are going about their daily lives. But look how the streets have narrowed, traffic is sparse and rubble is everywhere. This first video was shot in the city shortly before the earthquake struck. It was lost for decades and turned up a few years ago. Notice how closely the trolleys, horse drawn vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians and automobiles travel near each other. There are no traffic lights or any real rules to follow. The streets were dangerous. This video was shot from a trolley car. Play until Caruso sings at the Opera House. The Great San Francisco EarthQuake of documentary

Scenes from Chinatown before and after the earthquake.

Chinatown was completely destroyed by the earthquake. When the city was rebuilt, the buildings of Chinatown were made to “resemble” Chinese building by adding pagodas, curved eaves and dragon motifs. After the earthquake and fire, immigration records were destroyed. Many Chinese men then claimed to be citizens and sent for their families. Chinatown, which had once been filled only with men, started to fill with women and children.