The earthquake of April 18, 1906, although known as the earthquake of San Francisco, reduced downtown Santa Rosa to a rubble. For economic reasons the full extent of damage to the county was purposely underestimated including the number of deaths. Historians digging through official records eighty years later were able to prove the death toll was closer to 100, than the 90 listed below. Most loss of life occured in the hotels and rooming houses of the 52 year old community. A fire immediately followed the quake, killing those who were trapped in the wreckage. At least 41 of those who died in Santa Rosa are buried in the Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery. Another 112 people perished when Agnews Asylum, near San Jose collapsed and were buried on the asylum property.

In Santa Rosa, sixty miles to the north of San Francisco, and one of the most beautiful towns of California, practically every building was destroyed or badly damaged. The brick and stone business blocks, together with the public buildings, were thrown down. The Court House, Hall of Records, the Occidental and Santa Rosa Hotels, the Athenaeum Theatre, the new Masonic Temple, Odd Fellows' Block, all the banks, everything went, and in all the city not one brick or stone building was left standing, except the California Northwestern Depot.

In the residential portion of the city the foundations receded from under the houses, badly wrecking about twenty of the largest and damaging every one more or less; and here, as in San Francisco, flames followed the earthquake, breaking out in a dozen different places at once and completing the work of devastation. From the ruins of the fallen houses fifty-eight bodies were taken out and interred during the first few days, and the total of dead and injured was close to a hundred. The money loss at this small city is estimated at $3,000,000.

The destruction of Santa Rosa gave rise to general sorrow among the residents of the interior of the State. It was one of the show towns of California, and not only one of the most prosperous cities in the fine county of Sonoma, but one of the most picturesque in the State. Surrounding it there were miles of orchards, vineyards and corn fields. The beautiful drives of the city were adorned with bowers of roses, which everywhere were seen growing about the homes of the people. In its vicinity are the famous gardens of Luther Burbank, the "California wizard," but these fortunately escaped injury.

Two theatrical people were in a hotel in Santa Rosa when the shock came. The room was on the fourth floor. The roof collapsed. One of them was thrown from the bed and both were caught by the descending timbers and pinned helplessly beneath the debris. They could speak to each other and could touch one another's hands, but the weight was so great that they could do nothing to liberate themselves. After three hours rescuers came, cut a hole in the roof and both were released uninjured.

The list of dead was not confined to San Francisco, but extended to many of the neighboring towns, especially to Santa Rosa, where sixty were reported dead and a large number missing, and to the insane asylum in its vicinity, from the ruins of which a hundred or more of dead bodies were taken.

Healdsburg, Cal., May 5, 1906 — The earthquake of April 18th inflicted considerable damage upon the business section of this city. The large brick structures suffered the most, the new Odd Fellows’ building which had been completed only about three months ago at the cost of almost $30,000, collapsed, as did several other buildings. The total damage is approximately $100,000. There were not fatalities and only a few were slightly injured by falling bricks. The Odd Fellows’ lodge intends commencing the reconstruction of their wrecked new quarters as soon as contracts can be let.

Many rumors have been circulated concerning the Geysers, but Mr. Curray, the manager of the resort, says that instead of drying up, the springs were made more active and that six new springs had started from the earth near his place. Many fine homes in this vicinity were damaged to a considerable extent, the home of M.V. Frost being entirely ruined, although fortunately no one was injured. The larger bridge, which is suspended over the Russian river, in Alexander Valley, which was about a quarter of a mile long, was wrecked.

Windsor, seven miles south of here, suffered considerably from the earthquake, many of its finest new buildings being entirely destroyed. The Masonic building, which was being constructed of stone and brick, was reduced to debris. Sebastopol, Sonoma county’s thriving little town, which was just recovering from its last big fire, again fared badly and is once more a pile of ruins, especially in the business section. The damage inflicted is placed at about $250,000.