View from Portola Drive
looking east to Noe Valley showing shacks near Clipper
Upper Market1906 Refugee Cottages
Contains: photos
After the earthquake and fire of April 1906, thousands of refugees existed in San Francisco. The largest public relief effort to date was mounted to alleviate the suffering of these now homeless people. Over 5000 cottages were built in city parks. Camps in public parks around the city existed until mid to late 1907 after which they were taken by their residents to private lots. This is a sampling of cottages both in the parks and in locations to which they were moved. A handful still exist today around the city and bay area.
Hamilton Square
View northwest to Refugee shacks, horse team moving a shack, houses on north side of Post St. west of Pierce.
Lower Pacific Heights
Eddy & Octavia
[Last To Move] Horse team moving a 1906 Earthquake refugee cottage from Jefferson Square. Companion to wnp15.020, taken day before. Since Redevelopment, Octavia no longer intersects with Eddy at Jefferson Square.
Cathedral Hill
Cumberland near Sanchez
View West on Cumberland between Church and Sanchez, earthquake shacks on right above the cliff. [dpwbook8 dpw1818]
Dolores Heights
Washington Square
view toward Filbert & Stockton, collection of earthquake shacks on corner; Ss. Peter & Paul Church not yet built
North Beach
1st near Harrison
[1st St - west side - south from Harrison] [dpwbook29 dpw7015] earthquake shacks
Rincon Hill
Washington Square
1906 Earthquake and Fire, Washington Square Refugee Camp. Shacks for earthquake victims. Children between homes.
North Beach
Mission near Eugenia
View North on Mission between Kingston (then Lizzie) and Eugenia. Horse teams moving 1906 earthquake refugee shacks on city street. All buildings on right demolished, tall building in left distance still stands at Virgina Street
Bernal Heights
Earthquake Refugees
1906 Earthquake and Fire, View down row of 1906 earthquake relief cottages, possibly Richmond Camp (Park-Presidio Blvd. today). Children, women, dog posing. [Bear Photo, S.F. 678]
Richmond Inner
14th Ave near California
View east between refugee cottages in Camp Richmond after 1906 earthquake and fire. Laundry hanging. Children playing on scooters. Sign reading 'Little Van Ness.' [4200 Refugee homes 13th and California 1907]
Richmond Inner
Lake near Park Presidio
View southeast over Camp Richmond and rows of refugee cottages built after 1906 earthquake and fire. Laundry hanging. [4202 Refugee homes 13th and California 1907] (Bernal History Project / Helen Sjornberg 1906 photos)
Lake Street
27th Ave near Clement
349 27th Avenue between Clement and California. A 1906 earthquake refugee cottage (shack) converted into a private residence. Photo taken because building was slated for demolition, and was later demolished.
Richmond Outer
Portsmouth Square
1906 Earthquake and Fire, Four boys in knickers and newsboy-type caps sitting on a bench outside an earthquake shack. The location is assumed, the refugee camp at Portsmouth Square held 37 cottages for Chinese families out of 153 total cottages there.
Chinatown