San Francisco in Ruins

At 5:13 in the morning on April 18, 1906, the great earthquake struck. Aftershocks would come for the next few hours, but the following three days were filled with fire, smoke and crumbling buildings. When it was over, 300,000 people would be homeless, and 80 percent of one of the world's greatest cities would be in ruins. In three days' time, one of the most advanced cities would be returned to the metal ages. This collection of wide-format images says what no report or survey ever could. It is a look into the destruction that, thankfully, few have ever known but we all can learn from.