The 103rd Anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake

[thoreau]

Today is the 103rd anniversary of the 1906 earthquake and fire, the greatest disaster in the city's history. The quake, which struck just before dawn April 18, caused major damage and set off a series of fires that raged for three days. When it was over, 522 city blocks were in ruins and 28,188 buildings were destroyed. More than 1,00o people died.

In this never-before-released photo, crowds at Alamo Square watched as huge fires destroyed downtown San Francisco on April 18. The row of Victorians on the left are the famous "Painted Ladies" that grace Alamo Square to this day.

(Photo Credit: John Henry Mentz / SFMTA)

click here to see more of Mentz's photos

Comments

[nyrimmer.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Those photos were really incredible.Man,what those people went thru .

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

everything from Alamo Square to the ocean burned. I can't imagine that happening today. but we're do a big'un. You never know.

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

[pdxchuck.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the reminder. Marty used to live in a place very near the golden fire hydrant. He was awakened by the noise people made when they assembled for the celebration. Then he realized why the assemblage.

[sunbeam-bears.livejournal.com]

Great pics, thanks. John's family lived on Page street, and their house was not damaged. On the maternal side, John's family owned Le Tour Eiffel Hotel and Restaurant on Montgomery and Jackson, now a book store. It also survived the fires. It was saved by the efforts of Raphael Weill's employees at White House which was on the same block. I served Chicken Raphael tonight for dinner.

[mister-don.livejournal.com]

The manager of the Reed & Barton silver store in SF that morning commandeered a wagon and driver, for I recall $50, went to the store, loaded on all the sterling (leaving the cheap stuff), then put a loaded gun to the driver's head, cocked it:
"Drive!"

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

And to the left of where those folks are standing is the present day Alamo Square Park, where park's the first legal same gender marriage was performed in June of 2008! :)

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

I was using googlemaps to see if any of the homes that are in that first picture are still there, but I couldn't tell.

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

here is approximately the same location today.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

I didn't make it to that part of the block! But yes indeed, that row of houses did survive!