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Lost Book Returns 100 Years After SF Fire
31 May
Summary
- A book lost in a 1906 San Francisco fire has resurfaced over a century later.
- Randall Schwed found 'Echoes of the Foot-Hills' and donated it to the Mechanics Institute.
- The book's reappearance after the devastating fire remains a mystery to library staff.
A book lost in the devastating 1906 San Francisco fire has made a remarkable return over a century later. 'Echoes of the Foot-Hills,' originally belonging to the Mechanics' Institute library, was found by collector Randall Schwed listed on an online marketplace. Schwed acquired the book for $35 and donated it to the institute in December 2025, marking a significant moment for the library.
The book's survival and eventual return have become a point of intrigue for Library Manager Myles Cooper. The 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire destroyed an estimated 200,000 volumes. A stamp dated December 10, 1874, confirms the book's San Francisco origin. Schwed traced a potential previous owner, Agnes Quigley, but how the book came to be with her or survived the blaze remains a mystery, with theories including borrowing, salvaging, or even looting.
This rediscovered volume is now housed in a display case alongside historical artifacts, including an 1854 map of San Francisco and a seismograph drawing. Another book, 'Marriages, Rights, Customs and Ceremonies,' also survived the 1906 disaster and remained in circulation until 2001, highlighting the resilience of historical records amidst catastrophe.
