Firefighters at Scene of Fire after San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
THF244991 / Firefighters at Scene of Fire after San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
01
Artifact Overview
On April 18, 1906, San Francisco and the northern California coast were hit by a major earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9. Following the earthquake, ruptured gas lines fed fires that destroyed some 25,000 buildings in the city. More than 3,000 people were killed and San Francisco was devastated. This lantern slide documents some of the damage.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Lantern slide
Subject Date
1906
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2015.0.33.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 4.000 in
Width: 3.250 in
Inscriptions
handwritten:
Derasta[?] on N. W. Bay[?] Folsom and East Streets
Keywords |
|---|
02
Related Content
SetEarly Firefighting
- 32 Artifacts
Fire was a constant menace to American cities well into the 20th century, when most buildings were made of wood and firefighting equipment was underpowered and overmatched. Firefighters risked their own lives to save those of others, to protect property, and to constrain and contain blazes before they grew into uncontrollable conflagrations. Early firefighting relied on mettle, muscle, and machinery that improved slowly but steadily over time.