Earthquake/Fire: Jefferson Square

The 1906 earthquake and fire left about half of San Francisco's 400,000 residents homeless. By necessity, refugee camps sprang up immediately in parks and open spaces across the city. This page shows refugees in Jefferson Square (Eddy/Gough/Golden Gate/Laguna). The fire reached the SE corner of the park (Gough/Golden Gate), but buildings immediately adjacent to the park survived; Two Years After shows the burned area. Earthquake/Fire: Lafayette Park shows people watching the fire approach Lafayette Park, a dozen or so blocks to the north.

These prequake images look SE from Jefferson Square towards City Hall (at Larkin/McAllister, a few blocks from the present Fulton/Van Ness location).

Britton & Rey 457, postmarked SF 8/19/1904, predating the quake.
Mitchell shows Hotel Jefferson, on the east side of the park at Turk/Gough. The hotel survived the fire and appears in several postcards on this page.
Weidner 157, postmarked SF 8/19/1907, prequake image with added post-quake caption. The writer notes: "My room for 1 night, April 19-06. Under the 5th tree is where I slept the night of the big fire wild old times may never come again." St. Paulus Lutheran Church (NE corner of Gough/Eddy) at left survived the 1906 fire but was destroyed by fire in 1995.

These images date from earthquake day 4/18/1906, as well-dressed refugees flocked to the square to escape the advancing fire.

Weidner 248 looks north from Turk towards Eddy. The stairs at right leading up to Eddy/Octavia still remain today, though Octavia no longer runs north from Eddy. No smoke is visible, but the image must date from during or just after the fire, as trunks remain packed and no tents or stoves are present.
Weidner 238 looks southeast from the north edge of the square at Eddy/Octavia. The dome of City Hall, a half-dozen blocks away, peeks out at left. Smoke from the ham and eggs fire billows behind Hotel Jefferson at center (SE corner Turk/Gough).
Rieder, postmarked SF 6/4/1906, looks southeast from closer to Gough, with St. Paulus at left and the dome of the Call just right of center.

These cards show the south edge of the square (Golden Gate) on earthquake day. The fire eventually reached the southeast corner of the square (Gough/Golden Gate).

Weidner 249 looks southeast from the south edge of the square at Golden Gate between Octavia/Laguna. The Mitchell automobile parked on the grass is probably from Pioneer Auto Co. across the street (SW corner Golden Gate/Octavia).
Pacific Novelty looks east on Golden Gate later on earthquake day with a huge smoke plume the direction of City Hall. The Mitchell auto remains parked at the same spot, barely visible here because the park is much more crowded.

Amer. Journal Examiner is one of a series of badly printed color cards distributed with Hearst newspapers across the country. This example is from the Boston Sunday American.
Oakland Souvenir is a poorly printed card showing a "Supply Camp" with piles of open cases of food supplies and a long food line.
Oakland Souvenir is another example of the same card, postmarked SF 9/20/06, with somewhat better printing but hard to read because of the handwritten message.

Spaulding 16 "Feeding Homeless, Bread Line, Jefferson Square" looks east toward St. Paulus Lutheran Church at Gough/Eddy.
Photo Co. of America "Cooking the Evening Meal", postmarked 7/02/1906, looks northeast from Golden Gate near Octavia, with small improvised stoves in the street. The spire of St. Paulus is visible above the trees at left.
Rieder "S.F. Refugees after earthquake and fire" looks north from Turk/Octavia across Jefferson Square, with tents filling the park and stoves in the street. The large mansion at center is on the NE corner of Eddy/Octavia.
Pacific Novelty 527 "A Corner of Jefferson Square", postmarked SF on 8/17/1909, looks north from Turk toward Eddy/Octavia. The scene is more settled and the tone decidedly lighter than in the preceding cards. The sender marks the tent where he lived as a refugee, and writes: "I accidently stumbled onto this card. The place marked with a cross was HOME. There was a little show space back of our tent. One of the bunch had an accordion. And the Lady I have marked saved her piano. We held a dance and singing club every night. Did we enjoy life? Well rather."

Steve's SF postcard pages:

Before Dolores Park