IMAGO History, 1906 San Francisco earthquake, 120th anniversary on 18 April

Apr 18, 2026

The following photos have been selected for you by the IMAGO picture desk on this topic. For more pictures please use the search function.

earthquake, ruins, San Francisco, historical, January 20, 2016 - City Hall Tower after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, circa 1906 Copyright: xJTxVintagex
April 20, 1906, San Francisco, California, USA: Refugee camp established after earthquake in Jefferson Park in vicinity of Eddy and Gough Streets; the large church tower shown on right is Sacred Heart Church, Fillmore and Fulton Streets, San Francisco, California, USA, U.S. Army Signal Corps, 1906 San Francisco USA - ZUMAg145 19060420_aza_g145_002 Copyright: xJTxVintagex
San Francisco earthquake of 1906 XLF3788592 San Francisco earthquake of 1906; (add.info.: San Francisco earthquake of April 18th, 1906. Caption reads: Ruins of Sacramento and Montgomery st. after the fire . American postcard.); Lebrecht History. Copyright: xLebrechtxHistoryx xBridgemanxImagesx 3788592
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. The Mission District in San Francisco burning in the aftermath of the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Photograph. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 1032451
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE, 1906. Residents watch from a hillside as fires started during the earthquake of 18 April consume the city of San Francisco. Photograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0644695
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Aerial view of burned district from Ferry tower, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Stereograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119599
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Men and women walking along the center of California Street with the Merchant s Exchange on left, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Stereograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119548
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Ruins of the city, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Photograph by Arnold Genthe, April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119496
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Two women searching through the rubble for valuables, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Stereograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119418
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Relief camp at Dubois Park following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092592
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. The fire as it appeared from Telegraph Hill on the evening of the earthquake, 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092565
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Butchertown (today known as India Basin Industrial Park), San Francisco, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092552
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Looking up Post Street and across Union Square to the St. Francis Hotel following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092546
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Fifteenth and Folsom Streets, home of Abramson-Heunisch Glass Company, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092541
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. View of Market Street, San Francisco, looking east from Montgomery Street, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092520
SAN FRANCISCO, 1906. A row of houses on Howard Street set askew after the San Francisco earthquake of 18 April 18 1906. Photograph by Arnold Genthe. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0015787
SAN FRANCISCO, 1906. San Francisco residents watching the course of the fire from a hillside after the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Photographed by Arnold Genthe. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0015785
RECORD DATE NOT STATED On the ruins (April 1906), Chinatown, San Francisco, 1906 Apr. Creator: Arnold Genthe. Copyright:xHeritagexArt HeritagexImagesx IMAGO ,2955287 ! ACHTUNG: AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright:HeritagexArt HeritagexImagesx IMAGO
RECORD DATE NOT STATED 1906 San Francisco Earthquake 1062_05_M_-499-
Smoke billowing over city after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Pillsbury Picture Company, April 1906 Copyright: xCircaxImagesx ghi-circa10717
Call Newspaper Building in Flames after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Pillsbury Picture Company, April 1906 Copyright: xCircaxImagesx ghi-circa10716
Ruins after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Arnold Genthe, April 1906 Copyright: xCircaxImagesx ghi-circa10715
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906.<br ><br > The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.9; however, other values have been proposed, from 7.7 to as high as 8.25. The main shock epicenter occurred offshore about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city, near Mussel Rock. It ruptured along the San Andreas Fault both northward and southward for a total of 296 miles (476 km). Shaking was felt from Oregon to Los Angeles, and inland as far as central Nevada.The earthquake and resulting fire are remembered as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the Unit Supplier:xCPAxMediaxCo.xLtd. 1060_05_CPA0017304
SAN FRANCISCO, the famous 1906 earthquake, 1936 Courtesy Everett Collection !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÃ„TZT! PUBLICATIONXNOTxINxCANxCHNxFRAxITAxJPNxNORxPOLxRUSxESPxUKxUSA Copyright: xCourtesyxEverettxCollectionx MBDSAFR EC007
Chinatown Ruins after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00689
Post and Montgomery Streets at Corner of Market Street after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00688
Turk Street from Corner of Market and Mason Streets after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00682
Market Street, Phelan Building in Foreground, after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00668
Large Group of People Walking Along Ruins of Market Street toward Ferry after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00599
San Francisco Fire. View of damage in Sacramento Street after the earthquake of 1906 WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_068_0609
View from southeast slope of Nob Hill of fires burning, south of Market district following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_057_0179
onlookers gaze at the smoke rising from fires; following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0809
Bread line; Sixth and Mission street following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0807
View of California Street in san Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0414
After the earthquake in San Fransisco.Tilted wooden-frame houses; Howard St. between Eighteenth and Nineteenth Street 1906 WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0389
fter the earthquake - steel frame remains from a skyscraper which collapsed during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Disaster WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchives030080
Dec. 17, 2015 - Van Ness Avenue, Limit of Fire, after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, circa 1906 - ZUMAg145
Dec. 10, 2015 - Group of People Walking Along Ruins of Market Street from Ferry after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, circa 1906 - ZUMAg145
San Francisco, California: 1906. Victorian homes on Howard Street near 17th Avenue that were damaged in the earthquake. 990_16_3-Home-Dam_2HR
San Francisco nach dem Erdbeben und Feuer von 1906 (SXP2006041811)

Images in this collection

earthquake, ruins, San Francisco, historical, January 20, 2016 - City Hall Tower after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, circa 1906 Copyright: xJTxVintagex

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. The Mission District in San Francisco burning in the aftermath of the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Photograph. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 1032451

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE, 1906. Residents watch from a hillside as fires started during the earthquake of 18 April consume the city of San Francisco. Photograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0644695

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Aerial view of burned district from Ferry tower, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Stereograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119599

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Men and women walking along the center of California Street with the Merchant s Exchange on left, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Stereograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119548

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Ruins of the city, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Photograph by Arnold Genthe, April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119496

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Two women searching through the rubble for valuables, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Stereograph, 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0119418

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Relief camp at Dubois Park following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092592

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. The fire as it appeared from Telegraph Hill on the evening of the earthquake, 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092565

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Butchertown (today known as India Basin Industrial Park), San Francisco, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092552

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Looking up Post Street and across Union Square to the St. Francis Hotel following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092546

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. Fifteenth and Folsom Streets, home of Abramson-Heunisch Glass Company, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092541

SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE. View of Market Street, San Francisco, looking east from Montgomery Street, following the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0092520

SAN FRANCISCO, 1906. A row of houses on Howard Street set askew after the San Francisco earthquake of 18 April 18 1906. Photograph by Arnold Genthe. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0015787

SAN FRANCISCO, 1906. San Francisco residents watching the course of the fire from a hillside after the earthquake of 18 April 1906. Photographed by Arnold Genthe. Copyright: xGRANGERx xGRANGERx 0015785

RECORD DATE NOT STATED On the ruins (April 1906), Chinatown, San Francisco, 1906 Apr. Creator: Arnold Genthe. Copyright:xHeritagexArt HeritagexImagesx IMAGO ,2955287 ! ACHTUNG: AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright:HeritagexArt HeritagexImagesx IMAGO

RECORD DATE NOT STATED 1906 San Francisco Earthquake 1062_05_M_-499-

Smoke billowing over city after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Pillsbury Picture Company, April 1906 Copyright: xCircaxImagesx ghi-circa10717

Call Newspaper Building in Flames after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Pillsbury Picture Company, April 1906 Copyright: xCircaxImagesx ghi-circa10716

Ruins after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Arnold Genthe, April 1906 Copyright: xCircaxImagesx ghi-circa10715

SAN FRANCISCO, the famous 1906 earthquake, 1936 Courtesy Everett Collection !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÃ„TZT! PUBLICATIONXNOTxINxCANxCHNxFRAxITAxJPNxNORxPOLxRUSxESPxUKxUSA Copyright: xCourtesyxEverettxCollectionx MBDSAFR EC007

Chinatown Ruins after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00689

Post and Montgomery Streets at Corner of Market Street after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00688

Turk Street from Corner of Market and Mason Streets after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00682

Market Street, Phelan Building in Foreground, after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00668

Large Group of People Walking Along Ruins of Market Street toward Ferry after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, Detroit Publishing Company, 1906 Copyright: CircaxImages ghi-circa00599

San Francisco Fire. View of damage in Sacramento Street after the earthquake of 1906 WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_068_0609

View from southeast slope of Nob Hill of fires burning, south of Market district following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_057_0179

onlookers gaze at the smoke rising from fires; following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0809

Bread line; Sixth and Mission street following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0807

View of California Street in san Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0414

After the earthquake in San Fransisco.Tilted wooden-frame houses; Howard St. between Eighteenth and Nineteenth Street 1906 WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchivesWHA_054_0389

fter the earthquake - steel frame remains from a skyscraper which collapsed during the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Disaster WHA !ACHTUNG AUFNAHMEDATUM GESCHÄTZT! Copyright: WHA UnitedArchives030080

Dec. 17, 2015 - Van Ness Avenue, Limit of Fire, after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, circa 1906 - ZUMAg145

Dec. 10, 2015 - Group of People Walking Along Ruins of Market Street from Ferry after Earthquake, San Francisco, California, USA, circa 1906 - ZUMAg145

San Francisco, California: 1906. Victorian homes on Howard Street near 17th Avenue that were damaged in the earthquake. 990_16_3-Home-Dam_2HR

San Francisco nach dem Erdbeben und Feuer von 1906 (SXP2006041811)