San Francisco Exhibit Featured at Julian Pioneer Museum

By Amber Ward

The Julian Pioneer Museum is featuring a special exhibit for the 100-year anniversary of the "Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire."

On April 18, 1906, the early morning silence in the Bay Area was shattered by the rumble of an 8.25 magnitude earthquake. It lasted only one minute but caused one of the nation's worst natural disasters. The greatest destruction did not come directly from the earthquake but from the fires that followed. The city of San Francisco burned for three days before the fires burned themselves out. Nearly 500 city blocks were destroyed, a total of 25,000 buildings. The number of people left homeless was 250,000 and between 450 and 700 people were reported killed. The total damage was estimated at $350 million.

The museum collection features the history of the earthquake and fires. along with photographs and stories. The Julian Pioneer Museum is located at 2811 Washington St. and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from April through November. Call (760) 765-0227 for more information.

60 seconds that San Francisco will not forget.

Photos Courtesy of Julian Pioneer Museum