It was 18 April 1906, 5:12 local time when the rumbling began. (Today that hour would be 6:12, a quarter-hour before sunup.) More than a full minute later, the shaking was still going on, and hundreds, maybe thousands of San Francisco's buildings had fallen, broken or caught fire. With the water supply rendered useless, fire raged over the city for three days and left half its people homeless. And that was only the beginning of the story of the great San Francisco earthquake, 108 years ago today. The legend lives on, even if no one alive can remember that day, because artifacts of the time still stand in Baghdad-by-the-Bay. This fire hydrant was connected to a cistern that continued to supply water near Mission Dolores and saved the neighborhood. Ever since that day, the hydrant has been painted gold. Folklore and ceremony are good ways to keep awareness alive.
If you've ever given serious thought to how earthquakes would affect where you live, the 1906 quake is as timely a lesson as ever, and there are several good books I can recommend—and one to steer away from. The miracle fireplug — Geology Guide photo
