1906 - San Francisco Earthquake rips through the city

On April 18, 1906, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake centered near the city of San Francisco struck at 5:15 AM. The quake ruptured the San Andreas fault to the north and south of the city, for a total of 296 miles, and could be felt from southern Oregon to Los Angeles and inland to central Nevada. The intense shaking toppled hundreds of buildings, but the resulting out-of-control fires were even more destructive.

In the image above, shocked citizens look on at the devastation, some even sitting on chairs to watch the disaster unfold.

Despite the utter devastation, San Francisco quickly recovered from the earthquake, and the destruction actually allowed planners to create a new and improved city.

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