San Francisco 1906 - on film

This film is a time-capsule of San Francisco in 1906 - pre-earthquake.
It takes you down Market street to the Ferry Building.
I am 2 doors down from there right now. I am in awe.

YouTube - Air - La Femme D'Argent


Amazing old video of San Francisco

This film was "lost" for many years. It was the first 35 mm film ever.
It was taken by camera mounted on the front of a cable car.
Look at the ladies dresses and the old cars also ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The amount of automobiles is staggering for 1906.
Absolutely amazing!
The clock tower at the end of Market Street at the Embarcadero wharf is still there
( the Ferry Building ).



This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles CA Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).. It was filmed only four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing. Amazing but true.

 

Wow Matt that is awesome, look at the difference in the pace of life.

 

Indeed. Not sure the film speed it quite right but certainly true next to what I walk through every day now.

matt

 

Even with the speed off it looks like most folks are strolling not powerwalking like we do now.

What a mess it would be if the traffic was controlled today like then.

 

Good point...

Just got an interesting response from my co-worker that might explain some of this:

Still cool!

 

Corrected the year after re-reading it.

 

I love how they had pretty much 0 rules on the road. People driving diagonally across the street, etc lol.

 

That was a very cool video. Drivers were just as nuts then as they are now.

Brian

 

Thats the first thing I noticed. haha. My girlfriend would have fit in just fine back then... with the style of driving anyway.

Very interesting thanks for posting Matt.