Books
2 Best Novels About the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906
Bestselling authors first, then star rating.
Phase
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, 1906
18–21 April 1906
On 18 April 1906, a major earthquake ruptured the San Andreas Fault and severely damaged San Francisco. Broken water mains hindered firefighting as fires spread through densely built districts.
Military authorities and city officials used dynamite in attempts to create firebreaks, sometimes worsening destruction. Residents fled to parks, military land and temporary camps while rebuilding plans quickly became contests over property, labour and the future of the city.
This context supports fiction about disaster survival, urban displacement, journalism, rebuilding and the transformation of San Francisco in the early twentieth century.
