Early this morning, San Franciscans marked the 119th anniversary of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire, with an annual pre-dawn ceremony at Lotta’s Fountain early Thursday morning, and another ceremony at the golden fire hydrant near Dolores Park. The two annual traditions drew crowds of history enthusiasts, city officials and residents who gathered to honor both the lives lost and the rebuilding of the city.
The annual commemoration, held at the historic fountain where Market, Geary and Kearny streets intersect, began in darkness as approximately 150 attendees assembled before the 5:12 a.m. moment of silence — the exact time the earthquake struck on April 18, 1906.
Mayor Daniel Lurie, participating in his first earthquake commemoration as mayor, spoke on how this historical event parallels the city’s current renewal efforts.
“We did it after 1906; we’re gonna do it after COVID — we’re already on our way,” Lurie said. “This commemoration just gives me hope and inspiration. We should all have that optimism that they had after this catastrophe because they brought it back, and we’re going to bring San Francisco back again.”
Fire Chief Dean Crispen used his address to honor the two firefighters who lost their lives during the disaster.
“Chief Engineer Sullivan died a disappointed man because he was clamoring for an auxiliary water supply system to protect the residents of the city after an earthquake,” Crispin said. “In his honor, in 1909, the City and County of San Francisco constructed a fantastic auxiliary water supply system that we still use today.”
For other attendees, the ceremony represented a personal connection to San Francisco’s history. Callie Floor has lived in the city for years and attended for the first time.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Floor said. “It’s an opportunity to just participate in something that might not last forever, because it’s 119 years now, and all of the survivors are gone.”
Friends Paul Lufkin and Anne Schnoebelen made a journey to attend the ceremony together, fulfilling a pact they had made the previous year.
“I live in Redwood City and my friend Paul lives here, and we’ve been talking for years about coming to do this,” Schnoebelen said. “And here we are.”
Schnoebelen, who is the historian of the Treasure Island Museum, called the 1906 earthquake the “triggering event” that led to the 1915 and 1939 world’s fairs in San Francisco.
Lufkin, attending for the first time, shared his thoughts.
“Before I leave this world, I want to make this event one time as a San Franciscan,” said Lufkin. “It was fabulous to be here today.”
Lufkin also appreciated the mayor’s message about the city’s resilience.
“I thought Mayor Lurie gave a hopeful summary of what we’re all feeling these days, which is San Francisco’s got a shot and coming back and enjoying itself again,” Lufkin said.
Dennis Mar, who has attended the commemoration for decades, reflected on how the event has evolved since the days when survivors shared their firsthand accounts.
“I started before the 100th, when the whole place was more overflowing, and it was really fun to hear the survivors being interviewed and such,” Mar said. “The basic format has stayed the same, which is really nice, because it gives you that sense of continuance — continuity. Of course, the really big change was when the survivors finally died.”
The ceremony at Lotta’s Fountain concluded with residents singing “San Francisco” by Jeanette MacDonald.
Many attendees then made their way to the golden fire hydrant at 20th and Church streets to recognize emergency personnel and for the annual painting ceremony. The fire hydrant is credited with providing the water that saved the Mission District during the fires that followed the earthquake and is spray-painted gold every year.
There, Jeffrey Jenkins, an SF native and San Francisco State University alum, was dressed in early-20th-century motoringwear. He arrived with friends in a historic Locomobile car from 1906 and spoke about the significance of the earthquake and fire to San Francisco’s development, saying that it’s one of the reasons why some of the city’s neighborhoods are so distinctive. He also spoke about his experiences over the decades he has attended the events.
“I would attend and I would help escort the survivors from the 1906 earthquake and fire onto a stage,” Jenkins said. “We are the phoenix and we rise from the ashes… after this event, we became the most technologically advanced city in the United States because of what it took to rebuild San Francisco. People don’t kind of think of that, but it’s true.”
Mary Ellen Carroll, department of emergency management executive director, reminded the events’ attendees of the ongoing importance of emergency preparedness.
“Remember, make a plan. Look at your supply for an emergency,” Carroll said. “We’ve had a tornado warning and a tsunami warning, so I don’t know, all the signs are in place.”
