Comments on: The SF quake

The SF quake

mathowie — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 19:14:03 -0800

The Bancroft Library unveils a new 1906 San Francisco Earthquake site featuring a really cool clickable map that features photos from each section of town. Haight Street didn't look too bad, but just down the road, City Hall was leveled. The exhibit offers a guide to the event that look place nearly 100 years ago.

By: ColdChef

ColdChef — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:04:54 -0800

FEMA Camp

By: ColdChef

ColdChef — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:12:12 -0800

I love the cop leaning on his cane in this one.

By: ColdChef

ColdChef — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:22:24 -0800

While plenty of conventional businesses were reborn, at least one wholly new industry arose from the ashes: disaster tourism. The San Francisco earthquake and fire had immediately become legend, and there were visitors – some curious, some morbid – who desired to see the wreckage firsthand. Considerable money was to be made in guided tours. It appeared that San Francisco's entrepreneurial spirit was indeed alive and well. See Also

By: Chuckles

Chuckles — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:38:47 -0800

Simon Winchester released a book about the San Francisco earthquake in the fall - A Crack in the Edge of the World. In an interview on CBC Radio's The Current (and no doubt many other places) he compares the emergency response in 1906 with the response to Katrina - Simon Winchester, November 10, 2005 (direct to audio).

By: donpedro

donpedro — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:43:51 -0800

Fascinating, thanks! The Victorian I used to call home was built right before the quake and survived. Couldn't find a photo of it, but it was a block from this shot of 25th and Guerrero. Interesting that folks waiting in line for food in this picture of Church and Market are right in front of what is today one of my favorite restaurants, Chow. The Bancroft is an academic treasure; this may be one of its best efforts at providing a service for regular folks.

By: Miko

Miko — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 20:45:37 -0800

My favorite kind of post, illustrating how a modern array of technologies like the web can interest people in the past. Thanks.

By: mathowie

mathowie — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 21:04:13 -0800

Interesting that folks waiting in line for food in this picture of Church and Market are right in front of what is today one of my favorite restaurants, Chow. Also my favorite restaurant, right next door to the "ATM Inside" bar.

By: ryanshepard

ryanshepard — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 21:38:08 -0800

Previously discussed here.

By: spock

spock — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 21:42:41 -0800

Somebody hasn't been reading MetaFilter. : )

By: trip and a half

trip and a half — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 22:17:39 -0800

Overall, I think it's great that this exhibit exists, but the writing and editing leave something to be desired. Technically it's pretty cool, though, and as someone who experienced the Loma Prieta quake here in the City, I find the details fascinating.

By: RavinDave

RavinDave — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 22:23:41 -0800

Anyone know area was hardest hit? One of the most unsettling incidents in my life was at a restaurant in the St. Francis watching hanging light fixtures jiggle and jostle during (what turned out to be) a minor quake.

By: Smedleyman

Smedleyman — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 22:28:24 -0800

The "really cool clickable map" lives up to it's name.

By: LeLiLo

LeLiLo — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 22:57:45 -0800

This San Francisco... it vibrates? The Bancroft Collection includes classic photos from the earthquake showing a freak accident that involved the statue, in front of Stanford's Zoology Building, of Louis Agassiz (1807—1873), one of America's most famous scientists, and a bitter opponent of Darwin's theory of evolution. During the quake, the statue fell 50 feet and ended up with its head buried upside down in the pavement. Supporters of evolution said that God might have been trying to make an editorial comment about the scientist. A passing professor, on the other hand, reportedly said "I always thought Agassiz was better in the abstract than in the concrete."

By: donpedro

donpedro — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 23:09:25 -0800

Also my favorite restaurant, right next door to the "ATM Inside" bar. posted by mathowie at 11:04 PM CST on January 14 [!] Ah yes, the Pilsner Inn. Nice little joint, beautiful back patio. The Castro's best sports bar.

By: anglophiliated

anglophiliated — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 03:41:39 -0800

That was a fun game of "find your friends' flat". 1 for 5!

By: languagehat

languagehat — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 06:32:26 -0800

The "really cool clickable map" lives up to its name. Except it would have been even cooler if the map showed the locations of the photographs. But you can't have everything. Great post (even if it is sort of a double)!

By: Busithoth

Busithoth — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 10:40:58 -0800

[this is good] chuckles, thanks for the audio. somehow I missed the entire press push for this book's release.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 14:03:10 -0800

Damn, that Call Building is fantastic. Supposedly it survived the quake and fire and was remodeled into this?!

By: mdoeff

mdoeff — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 20:10:05 -0800

There is something similar here: http://www.wayfaring.com/maps/show/4101

By: panoptican

panoptican — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 17:06:11 -0800

How'd I miss this?