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A guide to the James MacMullen photographs of the San Francisco earthquake and fire, 1906 April, between 1905-1930
P95-043 (SAFR 24259)
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Title: James MacMullen photographs of the San Francisco earthquake and fire
Date: 1906 April,
Date: and one item photographed between 1905-1930
Identifier/Call Number: P95-043 (SAFR 24259)
Creator:
MacMullen, James
Physical Description:
48 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The James MacMullen photographs of the San Francisco earthquake and fire, 1906, between 1905-1930, (SAFR 24259, P95-043) are
comprised mainly of photographs of the damage caused as a result of the April 18, 1906, earthquake and subsequent fires in
San Francisco, California. There is also one photograph of a painting of BLUNTS REEF NO. 83 (built 1904; lightship) and an
unidentified three-masted ship. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
See the collection file for a newspaper article found with the photographs at the time of processing. The article by Everett
Boyd titled "Ruins everywhere, as far as the eye can reach" appeared in the San Diego Union on October 28, 1989, page B-15.
It is a first-hand account of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
Description Notes:
Items 02-13 have a photographer's number. Note that Item 19 consists of two photographic prints of the same image. Few photographs
have handwritten notations on the verso.
The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], P95-043 (SAFR 24259), James MacMullen photographs of the San Francisco earthquake and fire, San Francisco Maritime
National Historical Park
SAFR-01013
Joseph Ditler mailed the photographs to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in 1989, and they were formally
accessioned by the Park in 1995. Ditler acquired the photographs from the nephew of Jerry MacMullen. The photographs were
originally part of three boxes of material, the remainder of which Ditler gave to the San Diego Maritime Museum. According
to correspondence in the collection file, Ditler believed the photographs may have been taken by MacMullen and of MacMullen.
It is more likely that the photographs would have been taken by Jerry's father, James MacMullen, as Jerry was only 9 years
old in 1906 at the time of the San Francisco earthquake; however, the young boy featured in three of the photographs may be
of Jerry. An article that appeared in the San Francisco Call on July 21, 1906, titled "San Diego faces bright future" states
that James MacMullen was visiting San Francisco. It is unknown whether he took the photographs during this trip or during
a different visit.
Historical or Biographical Note
James MacMullen (1858-1933) was a newspaper reporter. He left New Jersey for San Francisco, California, in 1888. He got a
job as a newspaper reporter, eventually working his way up to managing editor of the San Francisco Daily Morning Call. In
1899, he moved to San Diego, California, to manage the San Diego Union and eventually the San Diego Evening Tribune.
Jerry MacMullen (1897-1981), James MacMullen's son, also worked at the Tribune and the Union as a newspaper reporter. Jerry
served as president of the San Diego Maritime Museum Association and the director of the Junipero Serra Museum. He is the
author of Paddle-Wheel Days in California, Ships of the Redwood Coast (co-authored with Jack McNairn), Star of India: The
Log of an Iron Ship, and They Came By Sea.
Sources:
Casper, Trudie, ed. "Jerry MacMullen: An Uncommon Man." San Diego Historical Society Quarterly 27, no. 4 (1981).
Casper, Trudie, ed. "Jerry MacMullen: An Uncommon Man Part II." San Diego Historical Society Quarterly 28, no. 1 (1982).
The James MacMullen photographs of the San Francisco earthquake and fire, 1906, between 1905-1930, (SAFR 24259, P95-043) are
comprised mainly of photographs of the damage caused as a result of the April 18, 1906, earthquake and subsequent fires in
San Francisco, California. There is also one photograph of a painting of BLUNTS REEF NO. 83 (built 1904; lightship) and an
unidentified three-masted ship. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.
Contains photographs of San Francisco, California, street scenes showing building ruins caused by the April 18, 1906 earthquake
and fire as well as one photograph of a painting of BLUNTS REEF NO. 83 (built 1904; lightship), 1905-1930. There are 47 photographic
images in 48 physical forms (black-and-white photographic prints). Most of the prints measure approximately 3.5 x 4.5 in.
Items 01-46 consist of photographs of the 1906 earthquake damage. Included are government buildings (City Hall, Hall of Justice,
and Hall of Records), residences (W.H. Crocker, James C. Flood, and Claus Spreckels residences), churches (Grace Church and
St. Luke's Church), and other buildings (Call Building, Merchants Exchange Building, Ferry Building, Fairmont Hotel, W. &
J. Sloane Building, Palace Hotel, Hibernia Bank, Flood Building, and Monadnock Building, San Francisco Nursery for Homeless
Children, Hahnemann Hospital, Albert Pike Memorial Scottish Rite Temple, Girls' High School, and Kip Orphanage). Item 04 shows
a woman cooking in the street on Van Ness Avenue and an advertisement for the Loma Prieta Planing Mill at 209 Sanchez Street
is visible in Item 01. Items 44-46 feature a young boy who could possibly be Jerry MacMullen.
Item 47 is a photograph of a painting of BLUNTS REEF NO. 83 (built 1904; lightship) and an unidentified three-masted ship
underway, between 1905-1930. The original painting is apparently at the San Diego Maritime Museum.
No arrangement. The photographs were numbered in the order in which they were found at the time of processing.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906
San Francisco (Calif.)
Black-and-white prints (photographs)
Gelatin silver prints