April 18, 2026, will be the 120th anniversary of the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The earthquake began on the morning of April 18, 1906, at 5:12 a.m. Pacific Time. It is estimated that the magnitude of the earthquake was between 7.9 and 8.25. Over three days, the city and surrounding areas experienced several fires and aftershocks. San Francisco, the epicenter of the earthquake, sustained the most damaged. An estimated 3,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake.
The U.S. Army sent around 4,000 troops to assist local authorities with evacuation, debris removal and to stop riots and looting. The Army also helped build temporary shelters for people whose homes had been destroyed in the earthquake. Funds for disaster relief and reconstruction were approved by the U.S. Congress. It took over nine years for San Francisco to be rebuilt.
A centennial celebration was held in 2006. Among the attendees were several survivors of the earthquake, the oldest survivor being 113.
The Indiana State Library has several resources in its collection about the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906:

“San Francisco Relief Survey: The Organization and Methods of Relief Use After the Earthquake and Fire of April 18, 1906” by The Russell Sage Foundation. ISLM 361 O15s.

“Facing the Great Disaster: How the Men and Women of the U.S. Geological Survey Responded to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake,” by Elizabeth M. Colvard and James Rogers ISLM I 19.174:3 Online access only.

“A Legacy of Ashes: The U.S. Army and the Destruction of San Francisco” by Erik C. Alfsen. ISLM D 110.18:SA 5. Online access only.
In addition to the titles listed above, the Indiana State Library has transcripts of hearings held by the United States Congress regarding the earthquake. Here are a few:
“Relief for San Francisco: Message from the President of the United States.” Report from Secretary of War William Howard Taft submitted by President Theodore Roosevelt to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. ISLM p.d. 328 I9t, vol. 49, no. 714.
“Government Buildings Damaged in San Francisco, etc. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury.” Secretary of the Treasury Leslie Mortier Shaw’s report to the U.S. House of Representatives. ISLM p.d. 328 I9t, vol. 50, no. 778.
“Government Buildings Damaged in San Francisco, etc. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury.” Secretary of the Treasury Leslie Mortier Shaw’s report to the U.S. Senate. ISLM p.d. 328 I9s, vol. 7, no. 433.
Other scientific and government agencies also have resources about the earthquake:
California Academy of Science.
Library of Congress – Chronicling America.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
National Archives.
National Parks Service.
United States Geological Survey.
University of California-Berkley Seismology Laboratory.
This blog post was written by Michele Fenton, monographs and federal documents catalog librarian.


































