At 5.44PM on March 10, 1933, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Long Beach. For those of you who don’t live in California, 6.3 is a pretty bad one. Especially in 1933 before there were significant building codes designed to make buildings withstand earthquakes better. There were 115 deaths and $45 million in damage, which was a big chunk of change for Depression-era California. This photo shows how the entire front wall of an apartment building on Anaheim Blvd fell away, leaving the interiors open to the world. It kind of looks like a dolls house, doesn’t it?
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Strange thing about photo: notice how all the building’s contents are in pristine order yet no rubble from the fallen facade wall is on the sidewalk. Were people allowed to remain in such seriously damaged buildings after the quake?
Do you see those long wooden planks stretching from the edge of the building, across the sidewalk to the fire hydrant, and then from the hydrant to the curb? I’m guessing the rubble had been cleared away and those planks were to prevent people from walking or standing directly in front of a fatally damaged building. But you’re right. It’s odd, isn’t it, that what’s inside the apartments appear to be unmoved. In reality, they probably won’t quite so neat and tidy, though.
You’re right of course, but after I’d posted looked closer at photo. Contents aren’t quite as pristine as first thought, and think found proof of my question about occupancy..Look slightly above and to the right of fire hydrant… appears tenant sitting on couch!
When the earthquake hit, my father was 9 years old. He and friends were playing marbles when all of a sudden the marbles started jumping around and rolling away. It was the first earthquake he had experienced. It is reported that it was a good thing the quake hit at 5:44pm after school was out as many schools sustained considerable damage, and there might have been many students who were injured or killed had it occurred while school was in session.
And these days, that would be right in the middle of rush hour!
The Long Beach earthquake figures prominently in John Fante’s LA novel, “Ask the Dust.” His protagonist, Arturo Bandini, is in Long Beach when the earthquake occurs. This picture reminds me of scenes he describes in the book.
It’s been a while since I read it but I think the 33 quake played a role in this book too.
https://martinturnbull.com/subway-people-small/
Yes! And also my “The Garden on Sunset!
Have you seen the movie version, Gordon. It recreates that era pretty well.
What I find interesting is the product still on the shelves in that store. Maybe the cleaned up a bit for the photo.
If this were a scene from a movie, you can bet they would have!