A Trip Down Market Street: San Francisco Before the 1906 Earthquake

The video "A Trip Down Market Street" is a rare record of San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake and fire. Filmed from a moving cable car, it travels 1.55 miles along Market Street, from 9th Street to the Ferry Building, capturing the chaotic movement of cars, streetcars, horse-drawn wagons, and pedestrians. Likely filmed in September 1905, it showcases iconic buildings like the Flood Building, Call Building, and Palace Hotel, many of which were destroyed or rebuilt after the disaster. The footage also reveals intriguing details, such as the staged abundance of cars (to create an impression of modernity) and the lack of traffic control, highlighting the transition from horse-drawn to electric transportation. It’s a unique window into everyday life and architecture in early 20th-century San Francisco.