1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake: How They Rebuilt with Safety and Style

On June 29, 1925, at 6:44 a.m., a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Santa Barbara, California, killing 13 people and damaging 85% of its downtown buildings. Three brave and quick-thinking utility workers immediately cut power and gas to the entire city, preventing widespread fires, saving lives, and shielding Santa Barbara from further destruction. 

This gave engineers and seismologists a rare laboratory for studying seismic damage without fire obscuring the destruction patterns. What they learned led Santa Barbara to adopt comprehensive seismic building codes. But the city didn't just build back safer. By mandating both earthquake-resistant construction and a unified Spanish Colonial Revival style, Santa Barbara was reborn as an iconic coastal destination.

 

⏱️ Timestamps

INTRODUCTION

00:00 – Welcome

00:20 – 100th Anniversary of 1925 quake

1925 EARTHQUAKE FACTS

00:35 – Date, time, magnitude

00:46 – Deaths and Damage

01:13 – Economic Impact

01:28 – No Widespread Fires

02:26  – Lessons Learned from the Damage

03:04  – Rebuilding Safer and Beautifully

SANTA BARBARA TODAY

03:49 – Iconic Coastal City

04:14 – Santa Barbara County Courthouse

CLOSING

04:47 – Closing Message