Early Color Photographs of San Francisco

Thanks to a bit of serendipitous research at the Smithsonian Museum of American History's Photographic History Collection, volunteer Anthony Brooks has uncovered this set of COLOR photographs taken by Frederick Eugene Ives of the aftermath of the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. According to the Chronicle, these are the earliest color photographs ever taken of the City. There are only six of these stereoscopic prints.

SFist has gone through and zoomed into some of the pictures to highlight details, like the striking juxtaposition of advertising rising above the rubble. What I find most compelling about these photos is the sky. Somehow, that Bay Area autumn blue really makes the scenes come alive.

For some more joyful color, San Francisco history eye-candy, check out this set of Autochromes taken of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition for which the Marina District and the Palace of Fine Arts were built. Again, courtesy of Anthony Brooks at the Smithsonian.