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YouTube Video of San Francisco Pre-1906 Earthquake

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Member John Bedecarre sent the link to this amazing historical film recorded just days before the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. The footage was shot from a cable car running down Market Street towards the Ferry Building seen in the distance. John informs us that while electric street cars crossed Market, the transit system at the time had only cable cars on Market. He also notes that there were no traffic rules, no paved roads, no traffic lights or pedestrian crosswalks and that the people were pretty adept at dodging autos. Thanks, John, for sharing!

Source: Flixxy’s San Francisco in 1906

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Comments

  1. Anonymous  February 2, 2010

    Wow! Thanks for posting.
    My grandparents were living in SF during the earthquake. They moved to San Mateo right after it.

  2. Anonymous  February 2, 2010

    I am struck by the movement in this film. Long coats flapping in the wind and bicycles wobbling on the rough road surface. The men all seemed to have huge strides as they crossed the road. Just a wonderful sense of liveliness in all that movement. My father was born in 1906 in Oakland but sailed away to Australia when he was 18.

  3. Anonymous  February 24, 2010

    Funny, at the 45-50 second mark, the gentleman crossing the tracks looks like he's talking on a cell phone

  4. Anonymous  February 28, 2010

    Considering that so much documentation was destroyed it is amazing that this film survived. My husband's great grandfather owned a stable on Hayes Street before the earthquake When the fires crossed Market Street they went camping. Their house was saved but they traveled around the country for awhile before returning to SF.

  5. sheng  January 17, 2012

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