16 Views of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire From the Archives of The Museum of the City of San Francisco

The Great Fire as seen from a ferry boat in the Bay.

Fire around the Call Building at Third and Market Streets. Emporium, at Powell and Market, is at right.

“Ham and Egg” fire burns at Grove and Laguna streets. View is along Grove Street. City Hall dome can be seen in the smoke cloud.

Close-up view of refugees fleeing along Grove Street. The large clusters of refugees along the street suggest they are involved in rescuing trapped persons.

Crowds gather at Market and Laguna streets to flee the Great Fire. Building at lower center right still survives as do along Laguna. Almost all others pictured here burned.

View from Laguna and Market streets of the Great Fire burning through the Mission District.

View of the Great Fire as seen from Chinatown.

Dreadful earthquake damage, along Grant Ave., in Chinatown.

Refugees search for souvenirs on sidewalk in front of the Stanford mansion on Powell Street at California.

Sunken cobblestone paving along Spear at Market Street.

Ruined homes and pavement on Dore Street near Folsom.

Mission Dolores on Dolores at 16th street, and the wrecked Parish church next to it.

Damaged warehouse in the area of Nineteenth and Folsom streets.

Earthquake-wrecked water main near Crystal Springs Reservoir in San Mateo County.

Broken water mains on Valencia between 18th and 19th streets.

Refugees built shanties from any available materials to house themselves after the disaster. This encampment is near the Marina. The Army later provided tents for refugees.

Prepared by The Museum of the City of San Francisco ©2000 Gladys Cox Hansen