San Francisco 1905 - 1906 (short form)

In 1905, an unknown cameraman filmed a streetcar trip along San Francisco's Market Street. The following year, the Great Earthquake struck, and he filmed the trip again. This is a five-minute silent film that edits together excerpts of his two films. Footage from the Prelinger Archives, edited by Matt Lake

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• san
• francisco
• 1906
• 1905
• market
• street
• earthquake

[jmaster38]

as a third generation born native san franciscan i never get tired of seeing old film like this and wonder what it was like to live back then. you can see hundreds of people traveling along market just going on with thier day much like today and at the very end of market street the ferry building STILL stands, over one hundred years later. just amazing!

[duckman531]

Somehow I think there's a great American Experience or History Channel documentary to be made from this footage! What a find!!!

[coolmoodee]

if we could go back in time it would be neat to travel to this era just to experience life as its depicted in this video. really cool. and just think everyone in this video has passed on

[soylentteal]

As many have said, it's a fair bet that many in this clip were dead 4 days later.

[SirLaxer]

@MrLinolinares God I laughed hard at your comment

[jml4000]

One of the many things that makes watching this video so great is to watch how people used to casually stroll through heavy traffic on one of the city's busiest thoroughfares.

[GeorgeVreelandHill]

Excellent film.

Thank you.

George Vreeland Hill

[wannawatchu66]

Beautiful way of putting it, MrLinolinares.

My grandfather was, I think, 12 when this was shot. In fact, *his father*, my great grandfather, was a carpenter and was here after the earthquake, helping rebuild San Francisco.

[MrLinolinares]

i was in my great great great grandpas balls

[Tips247]

this is weird... all them people are dead now

[TheParanormalpunk]

lol that boy on the bike keeps looking back at the camera at 0:13 - 0:17

[jhpoole7]

The 1st California license plates?

"State statutes of 1901 authorized cities & counties to license bicycles... automobiles... & similar wheeled vehicles. The secretary of state was empowered in 1905 to register and license motor vehicles. This took the task from the counties... Owners paid a $2 fee and... had to... display tags in the vehicle... and display the license number on the rear of the vehicle in 3-inch-high black letters on a white background."

dmv.ca.gov/about/profile/histo­ry.htm