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See How San Francisco Rebuilt 110 Years After the 1906 Quake

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View of the Ferry Building from Steuart Street after the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906 and present day. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library and Ericka Cruz Guevarra/KQED)

At 5:12 a.m., the shaking started 110 years ago today. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake and ensuing fires destroyed more than 80 percent of San Francisco and killed about 3,000 people.

The destruction inspired photographers from around the world and the 1906 earthquake became one of the first natural disasters widely documented with photos and early motion pictures.

John Henry Mentz worked as a staff photographer for United Railroads at the time. On April 18, and in the ensuing days, he took more than 200 images with his large-format camera and created a case of 6 1/2-by-8 1/2 inch negative plates.

Three weeks later, George Lawrence shot his famous "San Francisco in Ruins" with a 49-pound camera flying about 2,000 feet above the bay with 17 Conyne kites strung together with piano wire cable.

Photographer Frederick Eugene Ives captured the destruction in color photographs six months later, using a device called a Krőmgram.

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Because of their vision, we can stand before the surviving buildings and imagine what it felt like 110 years ago.

Mills Building damaged after the 1906 earthquake and fire. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library and Ericka Cruz Guevarra/KQED)
St. Boniface Church after the 1906 earthquake and present day.
St. Boniface Church after the 1906 earthquake and present day. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library and Ericka Cruz Guevarra/KQED)
St. Francis Hotel after the earthquake and fire of April, 1906 and present day.
St. Francis Hotel after the earthquake and fire of April, 1906. Written on back: "St. Francis Hotel + new wing in process of construction. Only damage was by fire. Powell + Geary." (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library and Ericka Cruz Guevarra/KQED)
California street at Montgomery. Ruins of the Kohl Building.
California street at Montgomery. Ruins of the Kohl Building. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library and Ericka Cruz Guevarra/KQED)

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