[4k, 60 fps] San Francisco, a Trip down Market Street, April 14, 1906

People smiling at the camera would have lost their minds if they knew there would be people watching them 120 years later.

100 years from now, people will see this video and think: "wow, all the people who commented about how everyone in this video is dead now are ALSO dead now". True enough.

Absolutely fantastic reproduction! This film was was first shot on April 14, 1906, just four days before the San Francisco earthquake and fire, to which the negative was nearly lost. It was produced by moving picture photographers the Miles brothers: Harry, Herbert, Earle and Joe. Harry J. Miles hand-cranked the Bell & Howell camera which was placed on the front of a streetcar during filming on Market Street from 8th, in front of the Miles Studios, to the Ferry building. A few days later the Miles brothers were en route to New York when they heard news of the earthquake. They sent the negative to NY, and returned to San Francisco to discover that their studios were destroyed. The origin of the film was an enigma for many decades, and it was long thought to have been shot in September of 1905, after being dated as such by the Library of Congress based on the state of construction of several buildings. However, in 2009 and 2010, film historian David Kiehn, co-founder of Niles Film Museum in Niles, California, dated the film to the spring of 1906 from automobile registrations and weather records. Kiehn eventually found promotional materials from the film's original release and dated the film to April 14th, 1906, and finally gave credit to the filmmakers, the Miles Brothers.

Just watched this with my 84 year old Mom, who’s from San Francisco - what a special way to experience this. My great uncle worked on the Ferry Clock for decades, so it’s always neat to see. My Mom says she remembers her grandmother talking about camping in Golden Gate Park after the earthquake. Thank you for this wonderful work!

Can’t stop thinking that every single person in this film is no longer on this earth. Footage like is such a historical treasure for mankind.

It's funny how rich people owned a car back then while everyone else had a horse. Now everyone has a car and only rich people own a horse.

I love how chaotic it is and yet somehow it manages to flow so freely! It must be so liberating being able to go wherever and however you want like that on the street without having to obey traffic lights/ pedestrian crossings etc.

My grandfather always told me stories from his childhood (he was born in 1896) when he saw a car for the first time and couldn't understand that the carriage drove without horses! I could watch these films by the hour! Great more of this. Friendly greetings from Germany !

Crossing the street was an adventure.

Looks like the way people drive in San Francisco hasn't changed one bit

Mr. Shiryaev, I am writing a time travel story about returning to 1900 San Francisco. I have watched this clip many times and imagine walking the streets with these people. Thank you Sir, cheers and warm regards.

I love videos of old street scenes & this one is my favourite. Ive watched it over a few times now & I never get tired of it. Fantastic work bringing this beautiful little piece of history back to life.

A viewer asked if any of the buildings in this video remain today. Yes, there are a few: at around 1:36 the massive Flood Building is on the left, at the corner of Market and Powell streets. On the right, the tall domed building in the near distance is the Call Building, although its exterior was re-clad in the 1930's and the dome covered up. It is now the Central Tower. Of course, the building at the very end of Market street is the Ferry Building, still going strong after all these years. At around 5:07, to the right are the columns of the front of the Call Building. Just beyond on the right the whitish building is the Hearst Building, which was destroyed in the fire but re-built in (generally) the same style as the one seen in the video. Just between the Hearst Building and the Palace Hotel (which was destroyed in the fire and was rebuilt) is the Monadnock Building, which was under construction at the time. Also at 5:07, on the left side of the street, the building that appears to be somewhat diagonal to the viewer is the Chronicle Building. It is, unfortunately, rather obscured in shadow. Kudos to Denis Shiryaev for an exceptional job in taking some pretty grainy black-and-white footage and restoring it to near HD quality.

The only rule is: "There is no rule. "

Это потрясающе! Какое видео! Никаких правил дорожного движения, 100% колорит той эпохи! Это просто великолепно!!!!

Thank you, Dennis, for creating and providing such compelling viewing. I am truly hooked on your work.

That video camera is literally a time machine for all those people into our world today and vice versa. I love the kids excited by being on camera. They are dead now, but waving to the future Post mortem. They had no idea we’d be now watching them that day. Magical.

The 60 frames per second really is what makes these old films so realistic feeling. I've always have looked at old films and seeing them as a moving painting. But these upscaled high fps videos really make it seem like I am present in the scene.

What always amazes me about these videos, is how there are absolutely no traffic laws whatsoever. Just people, hoses, cars, trolleys, and complete chaos. Yet everyone navigates flawlessly. Everyone seems to make it work with no apparent road rage. Lol. Just go when it’s your time to go or wait till an opening. These are so fun to watch.

Thank you Denis you have incredible videos of this time period and this before the San Francisco earthquake.....I also love the feel with the sounds how it felt so serene in those days....thank you so much!