You just got back from a vacation to northern California. What a trip! You loved everything about the bay area . . . the food, the people, and the beautiful architecture. Just like so many others, you left your heart in San Francisco. While in the city, you had a chance to visit nearly every historical site and tourist attraction. You saw the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, Ghirardelli Square, and Coit Tower. After strolling through Dolores Park one sunny afternoon, you noticed a peculiar looking fire hydrant. Ever since returning home, you have been asking yourself the same question. What was the significance of that fancy golden fire hydrant in Dolores Park? The Great Earthquake of 1906 The story of The Golden Fire Hydrant begins in 1906 with one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit the United States—the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. After the California Gold Rush during the 1950s, northern California began to experience frequent, minor earthquakes. This lasted for decades and eventually led to the worst quake the state has seen to date.
The Great Earthquake struck during the early hours of Wednesday April 18th at an estimated magnitude of 7.8. The epicenter is currently thought to be just off the coast of Daly City, a suburb of San Francisco. The initial shaking lasted about 25 seconds—sending shockwaves up and down the entire coast. Seismic ripples shot clear into Oregon and traveled all the way down through Los Angeles. Widespread shockwaves were felt as far as Nevada. Because this catastrophe pre-dates the invention of the Richter magnitude scale, opinions regarding the exact magnitude of the quake vary. Some people argue the quake’s magnitude actually hit as high as 8.25 on our current-day Richter scale. Whatever the actual magnitude of the Great Quake was . . . it was devastating. Roughly 3,000 people died and 80% of San Francisco was destroyed as a result. Cities outside San Francisco, such as San Jose and Santa Rosa received a significant amount of destruction as well. The abnormal amount of destruction was not solely the result of the quake, but two other unique factors. The underlying geological make-up of valleys like San Francisco and Santa Rosa is primarily sediment. When violent seismic waves move through sediment it causes the ground to liquefy. Even well-designed structures (including those today) would have difficulty withstanding an earthquake of this magnitude. However, the worst destruction actually came in the days following when widespread fires began burning out of control across the city. As damage piled onto damage, it looked as if San Francisco was crumbling into the ocean. The Great Fire of 1906 It’s estimated that 90% of the destruction caused from the Great Quake came in the days following. Uncontrollable fires burned throughout San Francisco and neighboring cities. Inexperienced firefighters fought 30 fires that enveloped 490 blocks, without help from their lead—Chief Dennis T. Sullivan, who died during the initial earthquake. Destruction from the fires led to ruptured gas mains and leveled over 25,000 buildings. The Golden Fire Hydrant of San Francisco As if the situation was not bad enough, the Great Quake had broken a majority of the city’s water main drains—leaving the city dry with limited resources for stopping the blaze. The city was burning down and their network of fire hydrants had failed . . . except for one. At the corner of 20th and Church Streets, on the southwest corner of Dolores Park, a miraculous fire hydrant (nicknamed “the little giant”) was in perfect working order. This is the only known fire hydrant to have been functioning in the city. As the blaze made its way through the streets, 300 men from the Mission District gathered to fight the fire and, “save the Mish”. Together they pushed a pump wagon up and down Dolores Street, filling and refilling it with water from the only remaining hydrant. They worked through the night and into the early morning hours of April 21st. It took 3 days and a significant amount of help from the citizens, but eventually the city was able to put an end to the fire and destruction. The Tradition Lives Today Today, you can still see the golden fire hydrant that saved the city of San Francisco from burning to the ground. The golden fire hydrant remains standing in the same location where it was the night it saved the city. On the hydrant a memorial plaque is dedicated to Dennis Sullivan and the men who fought to save San Francisco from the Great Fire of 1906. Each year on April 18th, the city applies a fresh coat of gold paint as a symbol of their appreciation for the valiant efforts of those who fought against all odds. The golden fire hydrant also stands as a reminder to those who live in the city. Those with relatives who lived through the Great Quake understand San Francisco's rich history and feel a great deal of love and devotion for their city. In the years following the Great Quake, the Bay Area installed an advanced Auxiliary Water Supply System. This system provides the city with external water resources in the event they encounter another large-scale emergency like this. Hopefully, there will never come a day they need to use it.
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