Heart of San Francisco

San Francisco Chronicle photo of ruins of City Hall, 1906

Today San Francisco marks the 100th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake. The San Francisco Chronicle is providing excellent coverage of the day's memorial events and tributes.

As someone who lived through the 1989 earthquake (7.1 on the Richter scale), I am convinced that if you must be in an earthquake, San Francisco is the place. Because they know what to do: the police, fire and rescue coordination is fine-tuned and efficient. People are as prepared as anyone can be to face a natural disaster.

Older buildings have been retrofitted to make them more likely to withstand the powerful force of a quake. New buildings have been designed to bounce on giant springs, rocking and rolling with the earth's movement.

San Franciscans are a hardy lot: strong resilient people, who aren't intimidated by occasional tremors. They all know the odds of another big quake. But are they moving away in droves? No. Because San Franciscans have heart and spirit, just like the pioneers who originally settled the city. San Franciscans know the risks and choose to live there anyway.

For seven years I was privileged to call San Francisco home. Oh, how I miss it! Today I salute San Francisco, my favourite American city. Long may it stand!

Comments

[seamus]

Well put! Yeah, the ground gives way every 30 years or so, but we can live with that for the other 29 years of glory.

Cheers.

[HoBess]

Just the other night my husband and I were sighing and saying "Gosh it was already a year ago we went to San Francisco." We so loved our first vacation in Northern Calif. Can't wait to visit again ... a move there is a dream we dream often.

[Jennifer (she said)]

I've only visited, and loved it. It's the only city I've ever visited that I miss the way I miss home. That is quite a picture. I was listening to a piece about the earthquake on NPR this morning. Thank you for sharing the photo and a bit about your experience.