Edison newsreels of the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire April 18, 1906

The California earthquake of April 18, 1906 ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time. Today, its importance comes more from the wealth of scientific knowledge derived from it than from its sheer size. Rupturing the northernmost 296 miles (477 kilometers) of the San Andreas fault from northwest of San Juan Bautista to the triple junction at Cape Mendocino, the earthquake confounded contemporary geologists with its large, horizontal displacements and great rupture length. Indeed, the significance of the fault and recognition of its large cumulative offset would not be fully appreciated until the advent of plate tectonics more than half a century later. Analysis of the 1906 displacements and strain in the surrounding crust led Reid (1910) to formulate his elastic-rebound theory of the earthquake source, which remains today the principal model of the earthquake cycle.

This footage is some of the earliest known from a natural disaster. Edison newsreels of San Francisco earthquake / falling buildings / taking away the hurt / troops marching along Van Ness Avenue with relief supplies / pan views of the destruction 1906 Earthquake.

• Category

  Travel & Events

[435user]

How incredible that this footage survived for so long. We are looking at something that happened over 100 years ago!

[rkoliver1]

It's Bush's fault!

[Alexander6914]

Even though movie cameras were still considered something of a novelty at the time, they were already "on the job" recording important news events! We are fortunate to witness this historic event ourselves, more than a century later!

[snazzyfishsticks]

Im sad that this is my birthday. :l

[MsLOver2200]

:(

[spactick]

If you think the 20th century was a stinky time? I heard the middle ages REALLY SMELLED. can you imagine being a hooker during the civil war? peeeeeeeuuuuuuuuu

[MrCatmandew2]

folks back then moved alot faster and seemed to be uglier

[Priscilla Wooten]

Actually you are quite wrong here. There are changes that take place prior to major earthquakes, and the experts know and also have equipment that people like Us to do not have access to. Does this mean that one will happen within days? No, but it does show the changes occurring. Many predicted the quake in Japan, but did not think it would be a 9.0. Many thought the 7.2 prior to that was the "big" one.

[totallyEpick]

thanks for uploading. im doing a presentation about this earthquake and it really helps to see wht happened rather than just reading about it

[spactick]

Not true. The kids actually did have candy back then. They had rock candy,chocolate,various sodas, ice cream etc; etc; As to the smells? Ya your probably right on that. The water lines were destroyed by the quake and the bathing facilities that were available (buckets of water) were not exactly high end. But I honestly don't think my great- grand parents worried too much about how they smelled,when they had just survived one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th Century.