August 2, 1769
Violent earthquake shocks were felt at what would become el pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles del Río de Porciúncula. Father Crespi wrote that three consecutive earthquakes were felt during the afternoon and night. He gave the name "Río de los Temblores" to the area.

August 3, 1769
Father Crespi wrote in his diary, "This afternoon we felt new earthquakes, the continuation of which astonishes us."

December 26, 1775
Father Font was at San Carlos Pass in southern California when an earthquake occurred. He wrote, "About five in the afternoon we had a temblor with phenomena which lasted a very short time and was accompanied by an instantaneous and loud noise."

October 18, 1800
Most severe shock of earthquake at Mission San Juan Bautista. Cracks appeared in the ground near the Pajaro River.

November 22, 1800
The new church under construction at San Juan Capistrano was damaged by the earthquakes as were the adobe barracks at San Diego.

May 25, 1803
The Mission Church at San Diego was slightly damaged by an earthquake.

June 18, 1808
Presidio Commander Argüello wrote to the Governor that adobe walls were seriously damaged by a series of earthquakes from June 18 to July 17, 21 earthquake shocks were noted.

1812 - Unknown day and month
Señora Juana Briones related that the earthquakes were so severe in San Francisco as to cause tidal waves which covered the ground where the [Portsmouth Square] plaza is now. Adobe chapel at the Presidio, built in 1776, collapsed.

May 1, 1812
Southern California was subject to nearly continuous earthquake shocks for four and one-half months. Four days seldom elapsed without at least one shock. The inhabitants abandoned their homes and lived out of doors.

December 1812
The Missions at San Juan Capistrano, Santa Barbara and Purisima were wrecked by earthquake. An eyewitness said the quake was "sufficiently severe to prostrate the mission church of San Juan Capistrano almost in a body, burying in its ruins the most of who remained behind, after the first indication of its approach was heard." Death toll was estimated from 30 to 45, and a number of persons were badly injured. A shock an hour later destroyed what buildings remained. At Santa Barbara, inhabitants saw the recession of the sea and fled to the hills to escape the probable deluge. The incoming sea then flowed inland half a mile. There had been a series of quakes here for one month preceding the big shocks. This year became known as el año de los temblores.

1818 - Unknown day and month.
The Mission at Santa Clara was wrecked by an earthquake.

April 2, 1827
A severe earthquake shock felt at the Presidio and the Mission Dolores.

September 1, 1829
There was an earthquake severe enough at the Presidio to force open lock-fast doors and windows.

June 9, 1836
Severe earthquake shock felt from Monterey northward. Great fissures were made in the earth, and the shocks continued for a month. The shock was apparently centered east of the Presidio.

1839 — Unknown day and month
Severe shock of earthquake at San Jose, Santa Clara and Monterey. W.H. Spear told William Heath Davis that Loma Alta [now Telegraph] Hill swayed from east to west and from west to east as if the big mountain would tumble over. At Mission Dolores there was no injury to church buildings but at the Presidio walls of some of the old buildings were cracked.

January 16, 1840
Earthquake and tidal wave at Santa Cruz. The church tower there was overthrown.

July 3, 1841
Severe earthquake at Monterey.

August 14, 1849
Thomas Tennent began weather observations from roof of the building at the northeast corner of Union and Dupont. He also recorded earthquakes.

January 16, 1850
Several earthquake shocks felt in San Francisco.

May 12, 1850
Earthquake shocks felt in San Francisco.

May 13, 1850
More earthquake shocks felt today.

September 14, 1850
Smart shock of earthquake felt in San Francisco.

May 1, 1851
A severe earthquake in San Francisco broke windows and severely shook buildings.

May 13, 1851
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

May 15, 1851
Windows were broken, building severely shaken, and bottles thrown to the floor by a severe earthquake. Ships in the harbor felt the shock.

May 17, 1851
Slight shock of earthquake felt today.

June 13, 1851
Smart shock of earthquake felt in San Francisco.

November 12, 1851
Severe earthquake shock felt today.

November 13, 1851
Motion of the waters in the bay, possibly from an earthquake.

November 15, 1851
An earthquake was felt at 2 a.m. Tennent, the weather observer, recorded another light shock of earthquake was felt at 10 p.m.

December 26, 1851
There were three distinct shocks of an earthquake. The first was quite severe and was noticed at 3 a.m., waking up many of our citizens.

June 2, 1852
An earthquake tonight in San Francisco.

November 22, 1852
Severe earthquake created a fissure a half mile wide and three hundred yards long through which the waters of Lake Merced flowed to the sea.

November 26, 1852
Series of earthquakes in the lower part of the state lasted several days.

January 2, 1853
Moderate shock of earthquake felt in San Francisco.

March 1, 1853
Smart shock of earthquake felt in San Francisco.

November 20, 1853
An earthquake was felt tonight; there have been more than 30 shocks of earthquake since January.

November 21, 1853
Another earthquake was felt today.

December 11, 1853
Light earthquake felt in San Francisco and at the Mission Dolores.

January 9, 1854
Slight shock of earthquake was felt.

February 5, 1854
Earthquake shock felt in San Francisco.

March 2, 1854
Light earthquake caused doors and windows to rattle.

March 16, 1854
Earthquake felt tonight.

April 10, 1854
Two earthquake shocks, one at 10:30 a.m. and another 15 minutes later, were felt. The second was the most severe, and more violent at Pt. Lobos.

April 14, 1854
Two earthquake shocks were felt.

May 23, 1854
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

October 21, 1854
The severest earthquake since 1851 struck tonight at 7:30.

October 26, 1854
Earthquake shock was felt. It was followed by a swell in the Bay around midnight.

December 23, 1854
Earthquake in the harbor at Simoda, Japan, caused a sea wave that registered on the tide guage in San Francisco 12 hours and 38 minutes after the tremor.

January 2, 1855
Two slight vibrations of earthquake were felt just before 10 a.m.

July 11, 1855
Word arrived here that Los Angeles yesterday suffered the heaviest earthquake ever felt there. Hardly a building escaped damage. Residents said the quake lifted the ground and then twisted it. Bells of the San Gabriel Mission Church were thrown down by the tremor.

August 28, 1855
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

October 5, 1855
An earthquake was felt today.

October 21, 1855
Smart shock of earthquake tonight, and much commotion in the water of the Bay a few minutes preceding the shock.

December 11, 1855
A quite severe earthquake was felt at the Mission Dolores.

January 10, 1856
An earthquake was felt today.

January 21, 1856
Smart shock of earthquake today.

January 29, 1856
Light earthquake felt at the Mission Dolores.

January 31, 1856
Another earthquake was felt.

February 15, 1856
At 5:23 a.m., the most severe shock of an earthquake ever felt by the oldest inhabitant, occurred in this city. There was no serious injury to any building except that of Messrs. Goodwin & Co., corner of Oregon and Front streets, where about five-thousand bricks were thrown from the north wall into Oregon Street. The water in the Bay rose, maintained its level for five minutes, and then sank two feet below its ordinary stage. The shock was preceded by a heavy rumbling noise and the motion was from the northwest to southeast.

March 15, 1856
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

March 30, 1856
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

March 31, 1856
Another light shock of earthquake early this morning.

May 10, 1856
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

July 1, 1856
Dr. W. O. Ayers lectured this evening before the Young Men's Christian Association, at the First Congregational Church, corner of California and Dupont streets, on the subject of earthquakes.

August 2, 1856
Light shock of earthquake was felt.

October 18, 1856
Slight shock of earthquake felt.

January 9, 1857
Earthquake felt in San Francisco at 8:15 a.m and lasted four minutes. It was later learned that this quake cracked open the earth for 20 miles at Fort Tejon in lower California, knocked down all buildings there, and caused water in Mokolemne River to be thrown from its banks. Alfred Doten wrote, "In San Francisco door bells were rung, some brick walls were cracked, a small house which stood up on stilts was thrown down, and many people were much frightened, and ran out into the streets. These small shakings seem to be becoming fashionable in this particular portion of Uncle Sam's dominions, but as they do little or no damage, they are not much to be feared."

February 5, 1857
Buildings on made ground were shaken severely by an earthquake today.

March 23, 1857
Light shock of earthquake today.

September 2, 1857
Light earthquake shock felt in San Francisco, although the tremor was felt over 200 miles.

September 14, 1857
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

October 20, 1857
Three shocks of earthquake. Some people were frightened and ran from their beds.

November 2, 1857
There were several light shocks of earthquake during the night.

November 8, 1857
Earthquake felt in San Francisco, Oakland and Bodega.

November 9, 1857
Two earthquake today.

December 23, 1857
A light shock of earthquake was felt.

December 24, 1857
Four shocks of earthquake felt today.

December 30, 1857
Earthquake this morning at 5:40.

April 2, 1858
Two distinct shocks of an earthquake were felt at San Francisco.

August 18, 1858
Earthquake today. No shock so severe as this in San Francisco since Feb. 15, 1856.

September 12, 1858
An earthquake lasting fifteen second struck today. No damage.

November 26, 1858
A violent earthquake at 12:35 a.m. At the Musical Hall, where the Independent Guards were having a ball, the shock was not noticed on the dancing floor, though the building was much shaken. In the Merchants' Exchange building, opposite the Custom House, some large cracks were made, and a portion of the cornice of the U.S. District Courtroom was shaken down. At City Hall some small pieces of plaster were shaken off. In many portions of the city bells were rung and crockery rattled. There was much damage at San Jose.

April 27, 1859
Two shocks of earthquake today.

August 10, 1859
Smart shock of earthquake today. Also felt in San Jose.

September 22, 1859
Strong earthquake today.

September 24, 1859
There was a slight shock of earthquake.

October 5, 1859
Severe earthquake shock today.

November 19, 1859
Slight shock of earthquake today.

November 27, 1859
Two shocks of earthquake felt today.

December 1, 1859
Smart shock of earthquake, also felt in Oakland and Benecia.

December 6, 1859
Slight shock of earthquake felt today.

December 24, 1859
Earthquake felt just before 1 a.m.

January 1, 1860
A light shock of earthquake on New Years' Day.

February 9, 1860
An earthquake was felt today.

April 5, 1860
There were several shocks of earthquake today.

April 16, 1860
A severe shock of earthquake was felt in San Francisco.

May 25, 1860
Two shocks of earthquake at 6 a.m.

September 23, 1860
Earthquake felt in San Francisco. It was very severe in Martinez.

December 21, 1860
Earthquakes were felt this morning as a series of light vibrations or quivers that continued for a period of a half hour.

February 2, 1861
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

March 23, 1861
Quite severe shock of earthquake today.

May 4, 1861
Slight shock of earthquake was felt.

June 13, 1861
Slight shock of earthquake was felt.

July 3, 1861
Severe earthquake were felt, followed by two light shocks. It was very severe at Doherty's Ranch in Amador Valley across the Bay. Adobe houses were seriously damaged, and men working in the fields were thrown down.

July 4, 1861
A severe earthquake shock was felt in San Francisco.

September 29, 1862
A very smart earthquake shock felt; also felt at Petaluma.

December 20, 1862
Slight earthquake shock in San Francisco.

March 18, 1863
Severe earthquake shock at 2 o'clock this morning.

July 15, 1863
Smart earthquake shock felt in San Francisco.

August 1, 1863
Two light earthquakes were felt tonight.

December 19, 1863
Severe earthquake felt this afternoon, followed a few seconds later by another yet stronger. The earthquake was also strong at Santa Clara and San Jose.

December 23, 1863
Strong earthquake shock felt in San Francisco and San Jose.

February 16, 1864
An earthquake shock of considerable violence shook San Franicsco and Santa Rosa this morning at 8:49. Plaster was cracked and a few plate glass windows were shattered. In San Jose, plaster cracked in buildings.

March 10, 1864
A slight earthquake shock today.

March 20, 1864
Another light earthquake shock.

May 20, 1864
Slight shock of earthquake in San Francisco, but very severe at Stockton, Sacramento and Santa Rosa.

June 6, 1864
Moderate earthquake felt. There were four shocks.

June 22, 1864
Smart earthquake shock felt in San Francisco.

July 5, 1864
Moderate earthquake shock with four vibrations were felt.

July 21, 1864
Several earthquake shocks were felt today. The effects were severe at Stockton. Mark Twain, in the Call newspaper offices at the time, wrote, "...several persons started downstairs to see if there were anybody so timid to be frightened by a mere earthquake."

September 6, 1864
Earthquake was felt at San Francisco.

September 20, 1864
Earthquake felt at San Francisco and San Jose.

September 29, 1864
Earthquake shock was felt.

September 30, 1864
Another earthquake was felt today.

October 6, 1864
An earthquake was felt today.

October 27, 1864
Several light earthquake shocks were felt.

December 11, 1864
Earthquake in San Francisco, but more severe in San Jose.

February 4, 1865
Strong earthquake felt today.

February 7, 1865
Another earthquake was felt today.

February 8, 1865
Two earthquake shocks were felt; the first at 2 p.m., and the other at 6:30 p.m.

March 7, 1865
Earthquake in San Francisco, but more severe at Napa.

March 8, 1865
The strong earthquake in Petaluma was felt in San Francisco. In Petaluma, people who occupied the upper stories of the principal hotels were greatly excited.

March 19, 1865
An earthquake shock was felt today.

March 24, 1865
Another earthquake shock was felt today.

March 30, 1865
Very smart shock of earthquake was felt.

April 18, 1865
Light earthquake was felt in San Francisco, at Angel Island and at Oakland. It was severe at San Juan Bautista.

April 26, 1865
Very severe shock of earthquake today. The shock came from east to west.

May 24, 1865
Another earthquake in San Francisco, but felt also at Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista.

May 30, 1865
Earthquake felt in San Francisco and Oakland.

June 14, 1865
Slight earthquake shock today.

July 13, 1865
Earthquake felt at 11 p.m.

August 29, 1865
An earthquake, with waves from the southeast to the northwest, was felt.

October 1, 1865
Eureka and Ft. Humboldt badly damaged by an earthquake today.

October 8, 1865
Much of San Francisco was wrecked by an earthquake today. The chief damages to buildings were to Popper's Building, corner Battery and Washington streets. The latter building was completely ruined. The California Engine Company's house, Market and Sansome sts., was severely injured and rendered unfit for occupancy. The chimney in the rear of the Lick House was shaken down. Stoddard's Warehouse on Beale St. is said to have been thrown out of place several inches. On Third St. from Market to Howard, the window glass was broken in many places. On Washington St. also, the glass appears to have suffered from Dupont St. down to Montgomery. On the marshy lands in the vicinity of Howard and Seventh streets, lamp posts, water pipes and gas pipes were broken and thrown out of position. The ground on Howard St., from Seventh west to Ninth, cracked open, leaving a fissure nearly an inch wide.

October 9, 1865
There was an earthquake shock today, and the earth continued to vibrate for 24 hours.

November 24, 1865
Earthquake felt in San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

December 7, 1865
Light shock of earthquake today.

February 18, 1866
Earthquake felt today.

March 26, 1866
Earthquake at 12:30 p.m. today. It was felt quite severely at Monterey.

June 5, 1866
Rather heavy shock of earthquake in San Francisco today.

August 19, 1866
Earthquake felt in San Francisco and Oakland.

September 6, 1866
Two earthquake shocks were felt today.

April 12, 1867
Two shocks of earthquake felt around 4:50 p.m.

September 22, 1867
Earthquake felt in San Francisco.

March 28, 1868
An earthquake was felt at 11 p.m.

March 29, 1868
An earthquake was felt at about 9 p.m.

March 31, 1868
Dr. John A. Veatch wrote in today's issue of "S.F. Mining and Scientific Press," that there exists "earthquake lines" from which earthquakes emanate. He reassured San Franciscans that, "San Francisco is removed considerably from the central disturbance of either the coast line or submarine line of earthquakes; that the intensity of the shocks will therefore be always greatly mitigated; and that the fury of the heaviest shocks will be expanded on the sea waves 30 or 40 miles from the shore; and therefore the shore is probably safe from any shock of very great destructive violence."

May 26, 1868
Two earthquake shocks felt at San Francisco.

May 27, 1868
Light earthquake shock felt at 2 a.m.

May 29, 1868
Two severe shocks of an earthquake felt at 9:20 p.m. In San Francisco, the audience at the Opera House rushed for doors because the quake shook like a boiler explosion. Alfred Doten wrote, "three whores jumped from lower right hand stage box to the stage in a heap." The quakes were felt throughout California and Nevada.

July 24, 1868
Slight earthquake felt today.

August 9, 1868
Earthquake felt at about 10 p.m.

August 24, 1868
Earthquake at 11:30 this morning.

August 28, 1868
Earthquake at 1 a.m.

September 16, 1868
Earthquake in Alpine County at 9 a.m. followed by four shocks at 5 p.m The strongest, and last, jolt was at 6:30 p.m.

October 21, 1868
A Great Earthquake struck San Francisco at 7:53 a.m., with a second shock at 9:33 a.m. The main facts were that the earthquake was felt in this city, four persons were killed by the falling of cornices and chimneys. The custom house was badly damaged. Coffee & Risdon's Building three-story building at Market and Battery streets was not yet completed, and a portion of a wall fell and killed a man. The machines in the Union Foundry at First and Mission streets were put out of order. Several buildings in this area were more or less wrecked. The tall chimney of the San Francisco Gas Works at Howard and Fremont streets was thrown down. Many places on made ground around the Bay sank from six inches to many feet; and in many places the ground opened in cracks from two to six inches wide, and water belched up through the fissures. There was a succession of slighter shocks throughout the day, but the strong one at 10:30 a.m. was quite severe and threw down some tottering walls.

October 27, 1868
Rev. Arthur Leete Stone preached a sermon called "The Finger of God" at First Congregational Church on Sunday following the earthquake this week.

November 4, 1868
Two heavy shocks of earthquake caused people to run into the streets, but no serious damage was done.

November 8, 1868
Heavy earthquake shock in San Francisco at 5 p.m.

January 29, 1869
Earthquake felt at San Francisco and Santa Cruz.

February 10, 1869
Submarine earthquake registered on the tidal guage at Ft. Point.

February 13, 1869
Slight earthquake at San Francisco.

April 1, 1869
Earthquake in San Francisco lasting 18 seconds caused people to rush from their houses into the streets. The quake was also felt in the Valley and as far south as Los Angeles.

May 19, 1869
Slight earthquake shock felt.

May 30, 1869
Slight earthquake shock was felt.

June 25, 1869
Earthquake felt in San Francisco and San Jose.

August 9, 1869
Feast Day of St. Emidius, a day set apart as a day of prayers for protection against earthquakes upon the petition of Archbishop Alemany to Pope Pius IX.

October 8, 1869
Heavy shock of earthquake in Mendocino at 1:30 a.m. Chimneys were thrown down in Ukiah Valley and window glass broken, while plaster fell from many ceilings. It was not felt in San Francisco.

December 26, 1869
Earthquake rattled the central part of California and was felt into Western Nevada. It was not felt in San Francisco. Trains over the Sierra were delayed while boulders were cleared from the tracks.

February 14, 1870
Light earthquake shock. First earthquake felt in many months.

February 17, 1870
Earthquake felt in San Francisco, Petaluma, Sacramento, San Jose, Vallejo and Santa Cruz.

April 2, 1870
Earthquake of six-second duration was felt.

April 13, 1870
Two earthquake shocks were felt early this morning.

April 24, 1870
Slight earthquake shock was felt.

April 25, 1870
Light earthquake shock was felt.

April 26, 1870
Another earthquake was felt today.

February 6, 1871
Two earthquake were felt in San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Cruz.

April 2, 1871
Two light earthquakes were felt.

September 18, 1871
An earthquake was felt today.

February 3, 1872
Light earthquake shock in San Francisco. More severe in San Jose and Santa Clara.

March 18, 1872
An earthquake was felt today.

March 26, 1872
Very slight shock of earthquake was, according to Thomas Tennent the weather observer, felt in San Francisco. Most people did not feel it. It was later found to have struck at Owens Valley, Inyo County, and killed at least 27 people. Almost all adobe structures in the area collapsed, and the principal buildings in every town in Inyo County were thrown down.

April 1, 1872
The San Francisco Real Estate Circular editorialized: "San Francisco is in very little more danger of a disastrous earthquake than the Eastern States of being flooded by a overflow of the Atlantic ocean."

April 12, 1872
Three light earthquake shocks today.

October 1, 1872
First earthquake in many months was felt.

October 2, 1872
Three-second earthquake struck this morning.

October 12, 1872
4:10 a.m. Sharp earthquake shock felt in San Francisco, lasted 4 seconds.

October 21, 1872
8:05 p.m. Light earthquake shock felt in San Francisco.

February 2, 1873
An earthquake lasting five seconds struck at 3:30 p.m.

November 22, 1873
Earthquake felt at San Francisco shortly after 9 p.m. It was later learned that nearly every brick building in Crescent City was thrown to the ground.

January 18, 1874
Two slight earthquake shocks were felt.

January 19, 1874
Slight shock of earthquake was felt.

March 5, 1874
4:53 a.m. Earthquake in San Francisco, sharp and short shock.

May 24, 1874
Two sharp shocks of earthquake at San Francisco.

June 11, 1874
Two sharp earthquake shocks.

December 14, 1874
Earthquake shock in San Francisco.

February 7, 1875
Three sharp shocks of earthquake were felt.

June 16, 1875
Earthquake was felt.

June 18, 1875
3:35 a.m. Sharp earthquake shock in San Francisco, lasted 3 seconds.

June 18, 1875
An earthquake was felt in the forenoon.

October 14, 1875
5:55 p.m. Sharp earthquake shock felt in San Francisco, lasted 2 seconds.

October 14, 1875
A sharp earthquake shock was felt at 6 p.m. It was also felt in the Santa Clara Valley.

November 14, 1875
7:52 p.m. Two earthquake shocks felt in San Francisco, duration: 6 seconds.

November 14, 1875
Two shocks of earthquake were felt at 7:52 p.m.

November 27, 1875
10:18 p.m. Earthquake shock of 1 second felt in San Francisco.

November 27, 1875
Earthquake was felt at 10:18 p.m.

January 21, 1876
An earthquake was felt in the early morning hours

October 6, 1876
Earthquake jolts felt at 9:20 and 10:08 p.m.

September 1, 1877
Earthquake felt at San Francisco.

February 26, 1878
An earthquake was felt just before noon.

September 7, 1878
Three earthquake shocks were felt at about 9:35 a.m.

September 29, 1878
Earthquake was felt here and in Oakland today.

November 11, 1878
Slight shock of earthquake was felt.

February 19, 1879
Earthquake was felt here around 5 a.m.

October 2, 1879
Sharp earthquake shock was felt.

Go to 1880-1914 Earthquakes.