On my walks from my apartment in Noe Valley to Dolores Park (called Mission Park in Minnie’s time), I always made sure to walk on the side of the street where the golden hydrant commemorated the last great battle to douse the Mission District fire. I often stopped to read the plaque. That spot offers a grand vista overlooking the city, and I would stand for a moment and try to imagine what it all looked like in 1906.“I experienced several quakes while living in the city, but nothing like the event of 1906. I do remember the feeling of surprise when the shaking begins — and the spurt of fear every San Franciscan feels when they think, Is this the big one? In researching this book I soon learned that the earthquake and subsequent firestorm were much worse than even my imagination had conjured up those years ago. The three days after the quake were not as simple as I’d thought — history rarely is. Wrong decisions and blunders were made, some took advantage of the calamity, but by and large the citizens of San Francisco showed remarkable courage and optimism during and after the ordeal.
