Scroll Left Scroll Right
July 10, 2011 2:13 AM

San Francisco on film: Days before the 1906 Quake

By
Overtime Staff
Topics
60 Rewind

A blog post by David Browning, the producer of this week's "60 Minutes" story about a mysterious reel of film, known as "A Trip Down Market Street:"

My wife, I confess, comes up with some of the best stories I do. Last year she sent me a link from a friend to a Web site showing a badly scratched version of "A Trip Down Market Street," the remarkable movie made a century ago on San Francisco's main drag. It's a film guaranteed to mesmerize anybody who sees it, even with the scratches: a bygone time brought to life.

Sacramento Street, April 1906.

I began poking around to find out more about the film and why it was made. San Francisco film archivist Rick Prelinger showed me a digitally restored version he'd commissioned that clears away the cobwebs and the scratches, making the film's impact even more vivid.

And that led to another California archivist, David Kiehn, who took it upon himself to figure out the film's origins. Kiehn's dogged, meticulous detective work established beyond doubt it was filmed just days before the great earthquake and fire in 1906 that nearly destroyed San Francisco.

Photos: The aftermath of the 1906 earthquake
Photos: Favorite images from the Market Street film
Video: Watch Morley Safer's full report.

So as you watch the full 11-minute reel on this week's web show "60 Minutes Overtime," credit Kiehn and Prelinger for rescuing from oblivion its images and the dramatic, unexpected story of its making. As for the story of how it all wound up on "60 Minutes," credit Mrs. Browning.

-David Browning, "60 Minutes" Producer


Add a Comment See all 31 Comments
by judywillox July 19, 2011 10:27 PM EDT
This is so fascinating to watch! It is a real slice of history and thank God it was preserved. I love this little film; and, how does one get a copy of it to own? Great work and thanks to those who did preserve this! The world needs more of this kind of story! Kudos to those who preserved, worked on and brought us this timeless treasure. Thanks CBS and 60 Minutes.
Reply to this comment
by JOHN_joebee July 18, 2011 11:17 PM EDT
Gee that is what sixth and Market looks like without drug Dealers.This was an amazing film to watch and if you live in San Francisco.Imagine how many weren't alive a week later.The Ferry building wasn't blocked by a FREEWAY.Imagine building that concrete monster now.The voters wanted to retrofit the damn ugly freeway built in the 50s blocking the Ferry building after the 1989 Earthquake.Damn happy the SUPES SUPERSEDED this one.
Reply to this comment
by DKKane July 16, 2011 5:21 PM EDT
This film is wonderful. I've watched it at least five times and keep finding little things I missed - the street sweeper, the police officers, the nuns, the dog running in front of the horse-drawn carriage near the end. Thank you, Mr Prelinger, Mr Kiehn, Morley Safer and 60 Minutes for allowing your viewers to have a wonderful trip back in time.
Reply to this comment
by fortyankee July 13, 2011 2:27 AM EDT
It's like being transported back to another era - a totally fascinating thing - for me anyway! Gets me thinking of how limited our understanding and knowledge of history are, how quickly things change and how ignorant of the changes we are. I've always considered how we human beings are dropped into history, with little knowledge of what went before us and totally ignorant of the future. I was thinking of all these lives in this little film - who were they? What were they like? What were they doing on this day? This would have been a time my grandparents would have lived in. Interesting. The biggest thought is of how the Lord knows all these questions of mine and knew all these people in detail, just as He knows us now. Amazing to think about the eternity of God - how He was there when this was shot, as well as ages before. Time and history are always fascinating.
Reply to this comment
by gail4747 July 12, 2011 3:30 PM EDT
I loved the story you did on the old film on San Fan . Ca. I think the person who did the filming was very smart to put the camera on the front of the cable car to get a feeling of what the town and the time was like. Its a great piece of history. History is how we learn on what to do now and in the future. So I loved this story we need more of this kind of stories on 60 min.
Reply to this comment
by lsteventon July 11, 2011 6:57 PM EDT
Thank you for the wonderful segment on this "Trip Down Market Street". My paternal grandparents were a part of that era in the City and I can't help but wonder if one of them was not there on Market Street that day as they lived and worked there then. My father was born in the City in April the following year.

The picture you showed at the end of the film of the city in flames reminded me of my maternal grandmother's recollection of that fateful scene. My grandmother was raised in the East Bay. Her father was a conductor on the ferryboats to the City. She told me that the fire was so bright that you could read a newspaper from it's light at night in Oakland.

Special thanks to the man who dug up all the info on this film and has given it a real time and date.
Reply to this comment
by wpzeph July 11, 2011 5:22 PM EDT
Is it possible to find out what the music is that accompanies the film footage? It adds a lot to the viewing and is a vast improvement over watching the original silent film. Thanks to anyone who can provide this information.
Reply to this comment
by CarmelDL July 12, 2011 12:11 AM EDT
There's no app for that! I checked Shazam and it didn't recognize the tune. It sounds an awful lot like the soundtrack to Titanic...it's a soundtrack from something...the kind of thing that pulls at the heartstrings and makes you get all mushy gushy about the past. The music is gorgeous!!!
by wpzeph July 12, 2011 10:24 AM EDT
A friend who has Shazam on his smart phone came up with the name "Finale Theme" on an album called Miracle at St. Anna (original soundtrack) by Terence Blanchard, but this isn't correct. Please CBS. Give us a little help on this.
by camways July 11, 2011 1:40 PM EDT
Wonderful film. The ending comment, however, "just a computer and the Internet". What happened to the library? I'm a former librarian who got tired of not getting respect for the research I was able to do. Our history is preserved in libraries, archives, museums. It's the way we can answer "How do you know what happened? How do you know what you know?" Anyone with an economic interest can write "history" on the internet. Libraries hold the real deal and they keep us honest.
Reply to this comment
by red_slider July 11, 2011 2:42 PM EDT
and kudos to our librarians who have long been in the front-lines of protecting and preserving our culture. Not always successful, not always winning, but there, serving our country every bit as much as our troops in battle. Support them - go to your community library meetings, join your local library organizations and stand in the street with placards if you have to. While you're at it - go to Change.org and sign the petition against privatizing the public libraries in California - http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-california-lawmakers-it-should-be-harder-to-privatize-our-public-libraries - We've put a lot on the auction block recently, from cherished national monuments to public schools and national parks. But this is the first time in history I can think of that a civilization has moved toward selling off its entire culture to the highest bidder. Sign the petition and stop this nonsense.
by alinrodneyvil July 11, 2011 11:40 AM EDT
Excellent foootage. Otstanding
Reply to this comment
by jak444 July 11, 2011 9:23 AM EDT
YAY for libraries and people who still know how to use them! Great mystery solving. Fascinating story, thank you!
Reply to this comment
See all 31 Comments
.

Follow 60 Minutes Overtime

America's #1 News Program, Now on your iPad Download Now »
Recently on 60 Minutes
  • Trapped in Unemployment Trapped in Unemployment

    The chances of finding a job are grim for the four million long-term unemployed in the U.S., but Joe Carbone is looking to change that in his Connecticut town. Scott Pelley reports.

  • Treating Depression: Is there a placebo effect? Treating Depression: Is there a placebo effect?

    A Harvard scientist says the drugs used to treat depression are effective, but for many, it's not the active ingredient that's making people feel better. It's the placebo effect.

  • Mozart of Chess: Magnus Carlsen Mozart of Chess: Magnus Carlsen

    At age 21, chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is the number one player in the world and says he loves to see his opponents squirm.

  • The year of Adele The year of Adele

    Anderson Cooper profiles British singer Adele, who proves the health of her voice by singing him one of her soulful songs . . . a cappella.

60 Minutes on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...