Name/Title
Album, PhotographEntry/Object ID
2006.013.0007.27eDescription
Page 27 photo 5 of a bound photo album with scenes of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fire.
back says "James Flood and Emporium from Eddy street"
Before 1904
The Baldwin Hotel & Theater (owned by historical figure "Lucky" Baldwin) occupied the site of today's Flood Building. It was destroyed by fire in 1898.
In 1902, James L. Flood purchased the plot of land that held the remains of the Baldwin Hotel and hired architect Albert Pissis to build a building in honor of his late father James Clair Flood, who passed away in 1889.
The twelve-story, 293,837 square foot building cost $1,500,000 and was completed in 1904. At that time, it was the largest building in the city of San Francisco.
The 1906 Earthquake
The Flood Building was one of the few buildings to survive both the devastation of the 1906 earthquake, and the subsequent great fire. The steel frame structure with brick curtain walls covered in gray Colusa sandstone proved to be substantial enough to withstand the most deadly forces of nature.
The building was restored and opened in 1907 with Southern Pacific Railroad as its primary tenant, where it remained until 1917.
Photos have been removed from album to better protect them. Each page of the album is listed as a separate item and each photo on that page is listed separately.Collection
Benicia Historical Museum Collection