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A Tale of Two Films: The San Francisco Earthquake (1906) Before and After
April 15, 2026, Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin
This Saturday, April 18, 2026, marks the 120th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which remains one of the most devastating earthquakes in our nation’s history. It was felt for more than 300 miles through the San Andreas Fault and destroyed over 80% of the city.
Fires broke out and burned for days, deepening the destruction beyond the initial quake itself. The results of this disaster led to advancements in earthquake science, seismic building codes, and more involvement from fire departments in planning for disaster response.
Also pioneering were the images captured on film. While photography was well into existence by 1906, filmmaking was still relatively new.
After the earthquake, those nearby with cameras and film rushed to the city to document the scene. A 12-minute compilation of footage, with title cards added, became the film “San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, April 18, 1906” and is among the first moving images ever to show the aftermath of a major natural disaster.
According to an essay by Daniel Eagan from “America’s Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry” (2009):
“The footage that makes up ‘San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, April 18, 1906’ was shot sometime between the actual earthquake and early May. It is a stark account of what happened in the city; a combination of static shots depicting the aftermath of the quake, and solemn pans across devastated landscapes. The photographer, producer, and distributor are unknown, but the footage was seen widely throughout the country.”
The film was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 2005.
Just four days before the earthquake, April 14, 1906, the Miles Brothers, a pioneering film production and distribution company, were in San Francisco filming “A Trip Down Market Street” for the popular “Hale’s Tours of the World” film series.
This 13-minute film was made to showcase the details of daily life in the city, including the fashions, transportation, and architecture of the era. It was recorded by placing a movie camera on the front of a cable car as it proceeded down San Francisco’s Market Street.
The Miles Brothers could not have imagined just how significant their footage would become. On April 17, 1906, once filming was complete, the film’s negative was put on a train bound for their office in New York. Had the brothers delayed their trip by one day, this preserved moment of history might have ceased to exist. The film is believed to be the last known footage of San Francisco before the destruction four days later.
“A Trip Down Market Street” (1906) was added to the National Film Registry in 2010.
After the earthquake, The Miles Brothers went back and shot a second version of “A Trip Down Market Street” by following the same path through the now destroyed city. This footage was considered lost until its discovery at a San Francisco flea market in 2017. This version of the film was verified to be authentic and is now housed at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, California.
The Library of Congress is home to the renowned “before” version of “A Trip Down Market Street” (1906) and the “after” film “San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, April 18, 1906.” Both films are in the public domain and available to watch online in the Library’s National Screening Room. To read more, visit www.loc.gov/film.
Editor’s Note: Both films did open for me at the links above. They are fairly large size, so please visit the links for viewing or downloading. Both are in the public domain. –DrWeb
The Library of Congress holds a vast collection of information about the great San Francisco earthquake and disaster, including books, photographs, maps, newspaper articles, and other interesting memorabilia.
For more information, Ask a Librarian, and if you plan to come in to view or listen to any collection items, please reach out to our reference staff in the Moving Image Research Center.
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