Finding Aid to San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Photograph Album 1906 SFP 116
Finding aid composed by Norman Yee
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
2023
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Title: San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Photograph Album
Identifier/Call Number: SFP 116
Physical Description:
1 photograph album with 70 photographic prints; album 10 x 12.5 inches, prints 4.5 x 6.5 inches or the reverse, with a few
exceptions.
(1 album)
Date: 1906
Abstract: The photograph album consists of 70 gelatin silver photographic prints documenting the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco,
California by an unidentified creator and photographer. The photographs appear to be a combination of amateur pictures and
commercial photographs by studios such as Pillsbury Picture Company, J. B. Moller, and Willard E. Worden. Some of the commercial
photographs have titles and/or captions in the print. There are a few hand-written captions accompanying other photographs.
Physical Location: The collection is stored on site.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English.
The collection is available for use during Photo Desk hours.
No copyright clearance needed as photographs in the photograph album are in the Public Domain.
[Identification of item], San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Photograph Album (SFP 116), San Francisco History Center, San
Francisco Public
Library.
Source of acquisition: Gift
The photographer/creator of this album is unknown.
Recognized by the United States Geological Survey as one of the most significant earthquakes in history, the 1906 San Francisco
Earthquake struck the coast of Northern California at 05:12 Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. Devastating
fires soon broke out in San Francisco and lasted for several days. More than 3,000 people have been estimated to have died,
and over 80% of the city was left in ruins resulting in up to 300,000 people rendered homeless out of a population of approximately
410,000. The event is remembered as the deadliest earthquake in the history of the United States.
The Photograph album consists of 70 gelatin silver photographic prints documenting the 1906 Earthquake and Fire in San Francisco,
California by an unidentified creator and photographer. The photographs appear to be a combination of amateur pictures and
commercial photographs by studios such as Pillsbury Picture Company, J. B. Moller, and Willard E. Worden. Some of the commercial
photographs have titles and/or captions in the print. There are a few hand-written captions accompanying other photographs.
Characteristics of note is an emphasis on the human factor. Almost half of the photographs show the suffering of San Franciscans
in the wake of the Earthquake and Fire, such as views of temporary tent housing and shelters made out of salvaged materials,
outdoor cooking, long food lines, and groups of spectators watching as the fire is fought. Additionally, there are photographs
of the "flag camp" in Golden Gate Park, a family eating amongst the ruins around a set dining room table, and a large print
of the M. J. Brandstein tea and coffee company (MJB) building.
This album is arranged on black album paper with 2 to 3 photographs to a page. The front and back of each page is used.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906.
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906 -- Pictorial works.
San Francisco (Calif.) -- Earthquake and fire, 1906.
Photographic prints.
Photograph albums.
Amateur works