Collection Items

  • Film, Video
    TR in San Francisco, 1903
    Theodore Roosevelt in San Francisco, 1903 | President Roosevelt in San Francisco, 1903
    The following is a scene-by-scene description of the film: The camera was positioned on the southeast corner of O'Farrell Street and Van Ness Avenue, and pans from north to west to south, and then back to west. [Frame: 0100] The view is north on Van Ness Avenue toward the approaching band and cavalry. Students of Whittier School are in the foreground. [0604] The band...
    • Contributor: Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    San Francisco's future By mid-1916, after viewing the carnage in Europe, the United States saw itself poised with great reluctance on the edge of participation in World War I. Isolationism and anti-preparedness feeling remained strong in San Francisco, not only among radicals such as the International Workers of the Worlds ("the Wobblies"), but also among responsible labor leaders. At the same time, with the rise of Bolshevism...
    • Contributor: Rodiester, Claire - Hearst, Phoebe Apperson - Afi/Post (George) Collection (Library of Congress) - Rolph, James
    • Date: 1916
  • Article
    A trip down Market Street before the fire "Produced as part of the popular Hale's Tours of the World film series, the film begins at the location of the Miles Brothers film studio, 1139 Market Street, between 8th and 9th Streets; it was filmed 14 April 1906, four days before the devastating earthquake and fire of 18 April 1906, which virtually destroyed the entire downtown area. The negative was taken by train...
    • Contributor: Miles Brothers
    • Date: 1906
  • Article
    San Francisco earthquake and fire, April 18, 1906 Shows the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906, and the devastation resulting from the subsequent three-day fire. The earthquake struck at 5:12 a.m. San Francisco, with thousands of unreinforced brick buildings, and closely-spaced wooden Victorian dwellings, was poorly prepared for a major fire. The scenes in the film are preceded by interior titles, many of which are sensationalized. One scene...
    • Date: 1906
  • Film, Video
    Army pack train bringing supplies
    Variant title from the New York clipper, May 19, 1906: Army of pack train bringing supplies
    The first segment shows a series of loaded mule trains, guided by mules and horses. Many soldiers ride two-to-a-horse (or mule), possibly to facilitate quick unloading of supplies. Note the "Rough Rider"-style hats worn by many of the men. The dusty location is unclear; if the tower in the right distance is St. Boniface Church, the view could be west on Golden Gate Avenue...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Kleine (George) Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1906
  • Film, Video
    Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Bld'g
    Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Building
    The camera, placed on the east side of 4th Street near Natoma Street, one and two-thirds blocks south of Market Street, pans a full 240 degrees, from southwest to southeast. The pan begins in the southwest, viewing two 550,000 cubic foot, 45' diameter frames of gas tanks of the San Francisco Gas and Electric Company at 5th and Folsom streets. The dome of the...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Kleine (George) Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1906
  • Film, Video
    San Francisco Chinese funeral Shows most of the ceremonial portion of the funeral procession of Tom Kim Yung, military attache to the Chinese Legation to the United States. The camera looks slightly north of east across Dupont Street, the main street of Chinatown. All business in Chinatown was suspended for the day. Note the traditional ponytails, or queues, worn by Chinese men, a universal custom during the Quing...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Kleine (George) Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1904
  • Film, Video
    Troops embarking at San Francisco Shows troops of the First Regiment, California Volunteers, boarding the Pacific Mail steamer City of Peking to serve in the Philippine theater of the Spanish-American War. The film was shot at the Pacific Mail Steamship Company dock between 10:50am and 1:50pm on Friday, May 13, 1898. The dock was located at First Street between Brannan and Townsend streets. The camera is probably facing north.....
    • Contributor: Blechynden, Frederick - Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1898
  • Film, Video
    Scene in Chinatown This film was shot in an alley of San Francisco's Chinatown on Saturday, September 15, 1900, at midday. The topography of the site (sloping down to the far street), the width of the alley, the location of utility poles [Frame: 0255], and the location of buildings across the far street suggest that the view is north from Washington Street down Washington Place (today's Wentworth...
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - Ackerman, Raymond - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1900
  • Film, Video
    Arrest in Chinatown, San Francisco, Cal This film shows the arrest and conveyance of a Chinese man in Chinatown, watched by a crowd of onlookers. The precise date of this film and the arrest charge are uncertain. It is possible that the arrest was connected with the smuggling of illegal immigrants from China. By mutual agreement between China and the United States, a small quota of merchants and students was...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1897
  • Film, Video
    Launch of Japanese man-of-war "Chitosa"
    Launch of Japanese man-of-war "Chitose" | Variant title from Edison motion pictures, 1890-1900: Launching of Japanese man-of-war "Chitose" | Variant title from MAVIS: Launch of the Japanese man-of-war "Chitosa"
    Shows the launching of the Imperial Japanese Navy cruiser Chitose at the Union Iron Works shipyard, San Francisco, on Saturday, January 22, 1898. The camera view is east, across a small inlet of Central Basin, to slipway no. 1. Four additional slipways lay beyond to the west. The camera viewpoint is today called pier 68, part of Southwest Marine's facilities. The launch took place...
    • Contributor: Blechynden, Frederick - Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - White, James H. (James Henry)
    • Date: 1898
  • Film, Video
    Bird's-eye view of San Francisco, Cal., from a balloon As early as 1874, passenger balloon flights were being made over San Francisco. San Franciscans - and Americans in general - were fascinated with the thrills and dangers of flight. Although balloon technology had not advanced greatly by the turn of the century, attempts at man-powered flight were sustaining public interest. The era of powered flight arrived in 1903 with the Wright brothers' flight...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1902
  • Film, Video
    Market Street before parade
    Variant title from Biograph production logs: Route of parade previous arrival of Pres. Roosevelt | Variant title from Biograph production logs: Route of president's parade
    This film is an automobile tour of a portion of the arrival parade route of President Theodore Roosevelt along Market Street, San Francisco, on Tuesday, May 12, 1903. The film was shot in the mid-afternoon, shortly before the parade, which traversed this portion of the route in the reverse direction shown here. The earlier portion of the route is seen in the film "Over...
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Miles, Herbert J.
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Panorama of beach and Cliff House
    Panoramic view of beach and Cliff House
    This film is an afternoon panorama of weekend crowds at the north end of Ocean Beach, the western shore of San Francisco near the famed Cliff House. The film postdates the nearby Dutch Windmill (1902) and predates the burning of this Cliff House (1907). Until the 1920s much of western San Francisco was open sand dunes blown inland from Ocean Beach, the five-mile-long untamed...
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Miles, Herbert J.
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    The President's carriage
    Variant title from Internet movie database: Pres. Roosevelt's carriage & escort | Title from the Biograph picture catalog: President Roosevelt's carriage
    This film shows President Roosevelt in San Francisco, passing in the arrival parade on Market Street on Tuesday, May 12, 1903. The camera view is from the north side of Market Street, just east of Grant Avenue. After leaving the Southern Pacific train station at Third and Townsend streets, the parade proceeded up Third Street and wound through downtown San Francisco before continuing up...
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Miles, Herbert J.
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Over route of Roosevelt parade in an automobile This film is a review by automobile of the arrival parade route of President Theodore Roosevelt, on Tuesday, May 12, 1903. The film was shot from about 2:10 pm to 2:15 pm (shortly before the 3 pm parade) and shows street and building decorations and excited crowds. The portion of the route shown is in the heart of the downtown business district. The later...
    • Contributor: Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Miles, Herbert J.
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Panorama, Union Square, San Francisco
    Panorama of Union Square, San Francisco
    This film shows the crowd gathered in San Francisco for the dedication of the Dewey Monument in Union Square, on Thursday, May 14, 1903, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. The Monument, which is still in place, commemorates the victory of Admiral George Dewey and the American fleet over Spanish forces at Manila Bay, the Philippines, on May 1, 1898, during the Spanish-American War....
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress) - Miles, Herbert J.
    • Date: 1903
  • Film, Video
    Panoramic view of the Golden Gate
    Variant title from AFI catalog, film beginnings, 1893-1910: Panorama of the Golden Gate
    This film, photographed from the front of a moving steam engine, shows the scenic portion of the Market Street Railway (formerly the Ferries and Cliff House Railroad route) along the bluffs and cliffs of Lands End, at the northwest corner of San Francisco, overlooking the Golden Gate and the Marin headlands. The film shows the first 1.5 miles of the 5.25 mile eastbound return...
    • Contributor: Thomas A. Edison, Inc - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1902
  • Film, Video
    San Francisco disaster
    Title from AFI catalog: film beginnings, 1893-1910: San Francisco
    This film shows the partial burning of a small-scale model of downtown San Francisco in an early attempt at simulating the 1906 disaster. The model is seen in aerial view from above the South-of-Market district, looking northwest toward Market Street and the downtown area. Russian Hill (left) and Telegraph Hill (right) are shown in a painted background. The Call Building at 3rd and Market...
    • Contributor: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Bitzer, G. W. - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1906
  • Film, Video
    Scenes in San Francisco. [No. 1]
    Scenes of San Francisco | Title in Biograph bulletins 1896-1908: San Francisco
    Views and pans among the ruins of San Francisco after the earthquake and fire. A scene-by-scene description of the film: [Frame: 0100] The camera, positioned at the southwest corner of Mission and 5th streets, makes a hurried and jerky pan from the east side of 5th Street eastward to the south side of Mission Street. At the start of the pan, the ruined Lincoln...
    • Contributor: Gove, Otis M. (Otis Meader) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1906
  • Film, Video
    Scenes in San Francisco. [No. 2]
    Scenes of San Francisco | Title in Biograph bulletins 1896-1908: San Francisco
    Panoramas filmed in the ruins of downtown San Francisco and outlying refugee camps following the 1906 earthquake and fire. A scene-by-scene description of the film: [Frame: 0102] Begins with a long, pan of downtown ruins viewed from Natoma Street between 4th and 3rd streets. The pan is from left to right (west to northeast). Buildings of interest: The old San Francisco Mint, with classic...
    • Contributor: Gove, Otis M. (Otis Meader) - American Mutoscope and Biograph Company - Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
    • Date: 1906
  • Film, Video
    The San Francisco disaster
    Formerly titled: Unidentified Staples & Charles. No. 1, San Francisco after the earthquake and fire of 1906 | Title in Lubin catalog 1907: San Francisco earthquake
    This film is made up of five panoramas, four wide and one close-up, of the ruins of downtown San Francisco shortly after the 1906 disaster, including a panorama and scene in a refugee camp. Note that the locations provided in the interior titles are incorrect for segments 1, 3, and 4. "Panorama of City Hall from Top of U.S. Mint." This right-to-left (north-to-northwest) panorama...
    • Contributor: Frawley, Jack - S. Lubin (Firm : Philadelphia, Pa.)
    • Date: 1906