Earthquakes and Mountain View’ s History
By IdaRose Sylvester Mountain View Historical Association Boardmember
Earthquakes are an unavoidable part of life in California. For those of us who grew up here, the ground shaking is not just an occasional scare— it’ s a reminder of the deep geological forces that shape our region and our community. Having lived through the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, I became especially interested in how Mountain View has experienced and responded to major quakes, and what we can learn from the past to prepare for the future. Why Earthquakes Matter Here
The Bay Area is crisscrossed by fault lines, from the massive San Andreas to smaller but still significant systems like the Hayward Fault. Scientists estimate the likelihood of a magnitude 6.7 or greater quake in the next 20 years at troublingly high levels for many of these faults. To make things more personal for Mountain View residents, the Monte Vista – Shannon fault— a short but powerful segment capable of producing a magnitude 7.1 quake— runs directly beneath nearby Foothill College. Its discovery is a stark reminder that even faults we don’ t yet know about can pose major risks. Mountain View’ s Earthquake History
While countless tremors have been felt over the decades, two major earthquakes define Mountain View’ s historical record: the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Both quakes struck the San Andreas fault, but their impacts on Mountain View differed dramatically.
The 1906 earthquake, estimated at magnitude 7.8, was roughly sixteen times stronger and four times longer than Loma Prieta. Though its epicenter was farther away, Mountain View saw significant structural damage. By contrast, the 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta quake struck closer, but caused comparatively less visible destruction within our city limits— even if the overall financial toll was higher because of damage to modern infrastructure such as highways and hospitals. 1906: A Town Shaken to Its Core
At the time of the 1906 quake, Mountain View was a small town of just 800 residents. Yet the local press captured the disaster in detail. Reports estimated about $ 5.4 million in today’ s dollars of damage within city limits.
Iconic buildings such as Olympic Hall and the Ames Building were severely damaged, although the Ames Building was repairable and still stands today. Rogers & Rogers, the city’ s largest dry goods store, collapsed while seven people were sleeping inside— miraculously, all survived. Municipal water towers toppled, the Pacific Press publishing campus was leveled, and the Fruit Exchange was reduced to rubble( though it was rebuilt within three months).
LIVING
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Stanford University, though just outside Mountain View, also suffered heavily. Memorial Church lost its steeple, sandstone buildings collapsed, and millions of dollars of damage was recorded— remnants of which can still be seen today.
Stanford University
Campus after the 1906 Quake
1989: A Modern Test
In 1989, Mountain View’ s population and infrastructure had grown dramatically. Loma Prieta caused about $ 30 million in direct local damage, in today’ s dollars. Nearly 100 buildings were reported damaged, with likely many more unreported. El Camino Hospital sustained serious harm that eventually led to a complete rebuild at a cost of half a billion dollars.
The Olympic Hall( left) was reduced to rubble in the 1906 earthquake, and the Ames Building( below) was rebuilt.
The Adobe Building had significant structural damage and was almost lost, due to enormous repair costs. It was saved by a determined community fundraising effort. Fire stations, overpasses, commercial buildings, and mobile homes all suffered varying degrees of damage. Modern infrastructure, which didn’ t exist in 1906, faced the greatest damage and caused most of the financial loss.
Stanford again endured major losses. The university’ s rebuilding costs were estimated at $ 300 million in today’ s dollars. Neighboring communities such as Los Altos Hills also faced cracked roads, broken water mains, and homes shaken from their foundations. Recording and Remembering
One striking difference between the two earthquakes is the historical record itself. In 1906, Mountain View had a strong local newspaper that carefully documented damage and community response.
By 1989, no Mountain View paper existed, so coverage was limited. Regional papers focused on the much more visible and tragic damage in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, San Francisco, and Oakland. Much of our understanding comes from neighboring publications, scattered archives, and— more recently— personal recollections shared online.
First-person memories posted decades later on Facebook, for instance, bring the quake vividly back to life: a nurse recalling ICU chaos at El Camino Hospital, residents watching transformers explode across town( while managing to hold on to their beer!), and high school students knocked off their feet during marching band practice.
These stories remind us that history is not only about buildings and numbers but also about human experiences— and how easily they can be lost without intentional preservation.
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