A Trip Down Market Street

Courtesy: Prelinger Archives
Pictures San Francisco's main thoroughfare as seen from the front window of a moving Market Street cable car, before the downtown area was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. This unusual record has been called the first "structural film" because it follows exactly the externally imposed structure of the car ride.

• Category

  Autos & Vehicles

[Werdtourmother]

60 mins was awesome tonight Thumbs up if you agree!!

[dannyblau1983]

just saw a news piece on this a few minutes ago. apparently the exact date this was shot was April 14, 1906. 4 days before the earthquake.

[ReginaldMaulding]

High pitched noise on this video, wow

[FenceThis]

Boy, had this only been shot with a 360 * camera....

[Philip Croft]

Your reference to mans arrogant assumption, that 'he' now knows it all, was said very publicly by a world renown Scientist at the start of the 20th century. I can't remember his name, but he basically said that Man, had now solved all the mysteries and discovered/invented all there is to know. Has there EVER been such a display of stupid arrogance ? Even with the benefit of hindsight, and our knowledge of the enormously importand discoveries and inventions of the 20th century--he is stupido uno.

[JediMasterCheryl]

It's amazing to see this (especially as I teach university history). I love seeing how the new-fangled cars interact with the traditional horse and buggies. To think that this was filmed 6 years before the Titanic went down makes it even more remarkable. Humans had truly thought they had 'conquered the world' but they soon began to realize that Earth can conquer us any time it chooses. Thanks also for remarks; I'd forgotten this in the write up and viva exam of my PhD.

[Philip Croft]

Thank God they did eh? Fantastic ! we owe a great deal to these early enthusiasts. I read somewhere that this film was on it's way accross America by rail to New York for processing, when the Earthquake struck. Imagine the shock of hearing this when they first viewed this film. It was later filmed again so as to compare the changes caused by the quake. Amazing !

[crazygreg09]

Wonder what all that sounded like???

[mimurph1]

thumbs up for icheckmovies



[van1976]

The wagon @10:40 looks like it had a "plastic" sheet (another lol)

[van1976]

Just noticed that wagon at @10:40 looks like it had a "plastic" sheet-- another lol

--Van

[van1976]

A slower pace of "hectic"...those personal injury Lawyers must of have a field day lol