Koenig (Louise H. "Ila") 1906 Earthquake Collection, 1906-1975

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Summary

Title:
Louise H. "Ila" Koenig 1906 Earthquake Collection
Dates:
1906-1975
Creators:
Koenig, Louise
Abstract:
Contains 1906 earthquake photographs, mostly taken by Arno Richter, and a letter of earthquake recollections written by Ila Koenig who was an earthquake survivor.
Extent:
5 folders (.18 Cubic Feet)
Language:
English and Collection materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Louise H. "Ila" Koenig 1906 Earthquake Collection, (SFH 587), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Background

Scope and content:

Contains photographs mainly shot by Arno Richter immediately following the 1906 earthquake. A number of Richter's photos are hand-colored. A copy of Ila's typewritten earthquake recollections to Dotty [likely her niece, Dorothea Schaller] is included. Other documents include a 1906 postcard packet with accordian-style images of the conflagration; a 1906 earthquake report published in Japan by noted Japanese seismologist Fusakichi Omori, Note on the San Francisco Earthquake of April 18, 1906; two photographs of Omori and Henry Koenig who met on the Sausalito ferry en route to study the earthquake damage in Olema and Pt. Reyes; and scraps of newspapers blown west and south from Chinatown to the Koenigs' home just east of Golden Gate Park. Ila annotated the materials. Also includes a few [19th-century?] souvenir images of San Francisco.

Biographical / historical:

Louise Helene "Ila" Koenig was born Oct. 5, 1893 in California to Henry T. (Heinrich) and Sophie Koenig. Her father was a refractionist, originally from Germany. He was in partnership with Dr. Kaspar Pischel for a time. Pischel's name is written on Dr. Fusakichi Omori's seismograph report that is included in this collection. The Koenigs lived on Waller Street. Ila remained single. She had a younger sister, Martha, whose married surname was Schaller. Schaller had a daughter named Dorothea. Ila died on Nov. 25, 1979, at the age of 86.

Acquisition information:
Collection was donated by Tiffany Schulz on June 15, 2019, in memory of Betty Guy. Guy was a watercolorist for the San Francisco Opera and likely friends with Koenig.
Processing information:

Processed by Tami J. Suzuki in 2019.

Physical location:
The collection is stored on site.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Tami J Suzuki
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2019-06-22 17:32:31 +0000 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center Photo Desk hours.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscrips must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. All requests for permission to publish from photographs must be submitted in writing to the Photo Curator. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Louise H. "Ila" Koenig 1906 Earthquake Collection, (SFH 587), San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library.

Location of this collection:
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102, US
Contact:
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Website