1906 San Francisco earthquake

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake was a powerful earthquake that happened along the coast of Northern California very early in the morning on April 18, 1906. The earthquake was very strong, measuring about 7.9 in strength, and it caused intense shaking that could be felt from a place called Eureka in the north all the way to the Salinas Valley south of the San Francisco Bay Area.

After the shaking stopped, fires started in San Francisco and burned for several days. These fires destroyed most of the city. Sadly, more than 3,000 people lost their lives because of the earthquake and the fires. This event is remembered as the worst earthquake in the history of the United States. It was also the biggest natural disaster in California’s history at that time.

Tectonic setting

The San Andreas Fault is a major fault line that forms part of the boundary between two large pieces of Earth's crust, called plates. One plate, called the Pacific plate, moves to the north while the other, the North American plate, stays mostly still. This movement causes the ground to shift sideways along the fault. The fault stretches all the way through California, from the Salton Sea in the south to Cape Mendocino in the north, covering a distance of about 810 miles (1,300 km). Scientists have measured how much the ground moved during earthquakes along this fault, with some areas shifting as much as 28 feet (8.5 m).

Earthquake

The 1906 earthquake happened before scientists had ways to measure earthquake strength like we do today. Scientists now believe it was about 7.9 on a modern scale, but some think it could have been a bit stronger or weaker. The earthquake caused changes in the Earth's surface both before and after it happened. The shaking was felt from Oregon to Los Angeles, and even far inland in Nevada.

A smaller shake happened about 20 to 25 seconds before the big one. The big shake lasted around 42 seconds. For many years, people thought the earthquake started near Olema, but newer studies suggest it might have started offshore from San Francisco. This idea is supported by a small wave recorded at the time.

The shaking was extremely strong in San Francisco and nearby areas, causing a lot of damage. The strongest shaking happened in places with soft soil, while areas with solid rock felt less shaking. After the main earthquake, there were many smaller quakes, called aftershocks, and some far away from where the main quake happened.

Damage

The earthquake shook much of Northern California, causing damage in many places. In San Francisco, many houses were ruined, and fires burned for days. Thousands of people lost their homes, and many set up temporary camps in parks and open spaces.

The earthquake also caused damage in other cities, such as San Jose and Santa Rosa, where much of the downtown area was destroyed.

Fires

The fires that started after the earthquake were even more damaging than the earthquake itself. It's believed that between 80% to over 95% of the damage in San Francisco came from these fires. Within just three days, more than 30 fires—started when gas lines broke—destroyed around 25,000 buildings across 490 city blocks. The fires caused about $350 million in damage back then, which would be about $9.1 billion today.

One famous fire began when a woman lit her stove for breakfast, not knowing her chimney was damaged. This fire destroyed a large area, including important buildings. Some fires happened when firefighters tried to blow up buildings to stop the flames, but these buildings often caught fire too. The city's fire chief was unable to help because he was hurt in the earthquake. The fires burned for four full days and nights.

Many valuable things were lost in the fires, like important scientific research and historic items. One famous hotel, the Palace Hotel, was destroyed but later rebuilt. A scientist named Alice Eastwood saved many plant specimens before her lab burned down. Sadly, some important records and flags were also lost in the fires.

Response

When the earthquake struck, many people worked together to help the city. Soldiers came in to keep things safe, protect important places, and help put out fires. They also helped feed and find places for people who had to leave their homes. Over time, more people joined in to clear rubble and help with rescues.

Unfortunately, there were some problems with people taking things that weren’t theirs, and leaders had to make tough decisions to keep order. Most of the soldiers did their best to help the community during this difficult time.

Aftermath

The earthquake caused a lot of damage, with property losses estimated at over $400 million in 1906, which would be about $10.4 billion today. Insurance companies paid out a lot of money for fire damage, but many of them went bankrupt.

Leaders in San Francisco wanted to rebuild the city quickly and did not talk much about the earthquake, hoping to get money from other places to help rebuild. Plans were made right away to rebuild, but it took time because many banks were damaged and their money was hard to reach.

After the earthquake, a baseball game was played in New York City to raise money for those affected. A psychologist named William James visited San Francisco and was impressed by how positive people were and how quickly they worked together to help each other.

Reconstruction

The earthquake helped change San Francisco. The University of California, San Francisco started treating many people in temporary tents, which led to building new medical facilities. New plans were made to change the city's streets and buildings, but not all of them were used. Some ideas, like wider streets and a new park, did happen.

The city rebuilt quickly, and by 1915, it was ready to celebrate its recovery with an exposition. Every year, the city remembers the earthquake by meeting at a fountain where people gathered back then.

Housing

The Army built many small houses out of wood to help people who lost their homes. These houses were painted blue and rented for a small amount of money. Most of these houses were torn down, but some are still left today.

Relief

People all over the world sent money and supplies to help San Francisco. Governments and companies gave large amounts of money, and the U.S. Congress sent supplies and tents. Even though help came from many places, it was hard for families to rebuild, so richer people in the city also helped.

Insurance payments

Insurance companies had to pay a lot of money for fire damage, but many went bankrupt. This caused problems in the international financial system and led to changes in how insurance for fires was handled, especially when earthquakes caused the fires.

Centennial commemorations

In 2006, many events were held to remember the earthquake that happened 100 years earlier. These events included award presentations, religious services, TV movies, and special lectures. The tourism industry also celebrated this important anniversary.

Some people who lived through the earthquake in 1906 were still alive to attend these events in 2006. Over the years, more survivors were found and attended reunions. In 2005, a film about the earthquake was added to a special list of important American films to keep safe.

Willard Worden gallery

Willard Worden was a photographer in San Francisco who took many pictures during the big earthquake and fires in 1906. He used old cameras to capture scenes of the fire, the damage to buildings, and even the ruins at Stanford University. His photographs helped people learn about what happened and were kept in important museums.

One of his famous photos shows the empty porch of a big house on Nob Hill, with the ruined City Hall in the background. This image became a symbol of the earthquake. The porch was later moved to Golden Gate Park and is called the Portals of the Past, reminding people of the city's strength.

Panoramas

San Francisco burned after a big earthquake in 1906. These pictures show the city from different places, like hotels and hills. You can see smoke, fire, and damage to buildings. Some famous spots like Union Square, Market Street, and the Ferry Building are shown, along with places such as Twin Peaks and Nob Hill. The photos were taken just after the earthquake and fires.

In popular culture

The 1906 San Francisco earthquake has been featured in many books, movies, and plays. Writers and filmmakers have used this event to tell stories about courage and rebuilding. For example, there is a disaster movie from 1936 called San Francisco starring Clark Gable, and a play named Angels in America by Tony Kushner that mentions the earthquake.

The earthquake also appears in children’s books, like Earthquake in the Early Morning from the Magic Tree House series, and in the novel Dragonwings by Laurence Yep. In the animated film Big Hero 6, the city of San Francisco is reimagined as San Fransokyo after the earthquake.