Photo Lookback: Long Beach Earthquake, 90 Years Later
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Photo Lookback: Long Beach Earthquake, 90 Years Later


On March 10, 1933, many southern Californians were sitting down to Friday night dinner when the magnitude 6.4 Long Beach earthquake struck – the deadliest known earthquake in the Los Angeles basin.

One of those who felt the quake’s power was Garden Grove teacher Allen Goddard, who documented the event in letters to his fiancé in Boston.

Allen Goddard
Photograph of a Craftsman-style home in Long Beach that has been knocked sideways 1 to 2 feet off its foundation by the 1933 earthquake. Windows and walls are broken.
Map of the Los Angeles Basin, including epicenters of the 11 March 1933 M6.4 mainshock (large circled star9), 2 October 1933 M5.4 aftershock (small circled star; current catalog location), original (offshore) epicenter location from Wood et al.1 (gray star), key towns (gray triangles), strong motion stations (black dots), and relocated aftershocks (small gray dots)9. Gray lines are mapped and inferred (dashed lines) fault segments, including the Newport-Inglewood fault zone (labeled). Inset map shows location of Los Angeles Basin within California; in this study, we reconsider all available macroseismic data within the region shown. (from a 2011 paper by Hough and Graves)

Aftershocks drive residents out of their homes

Just like today, damaging earthquakes bring fear and anxiety. Many families were too scared to stay in their homes with all the aftershocks, instead taking advantage of the mild winter weather to sleep and cook outside in their yards or public parks.

Photograph of a woman cooking on a wood-burning stove next to a low stone wall outside of a house in the days following the Long Beach earthquake.
Photograph of a woman cooking on a wood-burning stove next to a low stone wall outside of a house in the days following the Long Beach earthquake.
Black text on white background: "Wow! another one about five seconds long—then another. The tables still trembles a little. Mother suggests I turn out the hot water automatic heater and I do. We have a gas heater and one burner going where the meat is cooking. Really honey, I don’t care much about earthquakes any more. I’m sure the worst is over or we wouldn’t be staying here. Many are still camping out. A tent in the open spaces is quite common."
Photograph of a tent camp in a grove of eucalyptus trees in a public park after the Long Beach earthquake.
Photograph of a tent camp in a grove of eucalyptus trees in a public park after the Long Beach earthquake.
People camped out in their front yard after the Long Beach earthquake standing around several wooden tables with food and cooking items on them. Two large beds have been brought outside from bedrooms in the house and are placed on the lawn side by side.
People camped out in their front yard after the Long Beach earthquake standing around several wooden tables with food and cooking items on them. Two large beds have been brought outside from bedrooms in the house and are placed on the lawn side by side.

The community adapts after the tragedy

The community came together, along with US Navy sailors from the Pacific Fleet just arrived in San Pedro, setting up outdoor kitchens and relief stations.

View of a line of people holding plates of food on the left, provided by people behind tables and standing next of boxes of supplies on the right after the Long Beach earthquake.
View of a line of people holding plates of food on the left, provided by people behind tables and standing next of boxes of supplies on the right after the Long Beach earthquake.
Black text on white background, reading: "[excerpt from a letter by A. Goddard to his fiancé, Francelia Chittenden. Dated Mar. 13, 1933] Returning to Garden Grove on East 7th St. we passed the Municipal Park where hundreds of army tents were pitched sheltering those without homes including what looked to be some hoboes here and there. Lunch was being served, free oranges of a poorer grade were heaped on the ground free for the taking, people sitting at picnic tables finishing their meal with sorry-looking faces. It was the least rosy of all the scenes we beheld. Some were out in cars, sitting in them as if they expected to lose even those next. (text courtesy of the Orange County Historical Society)"

The local citrus industry even donated piles of free oranges.

View of a few people gathered around a large mound of oranges provided as relief for victims of the Long Beach earthquake at the corner of East Seventh Street and Alamitos Avenue. Other people are gathered along a row of tables and boxes in the background.
View of a few people gathered around a large mound of oranges provided as relief for victims of the Long Beach earthquake at the corner of East Seventh Street and Alamitos Avenue. Other people are gathered along a row of tables and boxes in the background.

Brick and mortar buildings failed

At this time, most retail, apartment, school, and industrial buildings were built with brick and mortar, which do well with heavy loads and strong winds (just ask the big bad wolf), but not well with sideways forces from earthquakes.

Photograph of a commercial building on a street corner housing "Willys" automotive business heavily damaged by the Long Beach earthquake. Two automobiles are visible in the showroom and an automobile parked in front is covered in a pile of brick rubble. A window sign reads "Willys."
Photograph of a commercial building on a street corner housing “Willys” automotive business heavily damaged by the Long Beach earthquake. Two automobiles are visible in the showroom and an automobile parked in front is covered in a pile of brick rubble. A window sign reads “Willys.”
Detail view of a the Orange County Courthouse damaged by the Long Beach earthquake. The gable has fallen away exposing the attic. Three workmen are visible along the roof line. The Courthouse is located at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd in Santa Ana.
Detail view of a the Orange County Courthouse damaged by the Long Beach earthquake. The gable has fallen away exposing the attic. Three workmen are visible along the roof line. The Courthouse is located at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd in Santa Ana.
View of a damaged commercial building housing Goodrich Silvertown Inc., Baty Electric and Ben Jon cleaners facing southwest towards the corner of Corner of Fourth Street and Pacific Avenue in Long Beach. The display windows are covered with boards, 2 men are on top of the building with a ladder and brick covers the sidewalk below. A wheelbarrow is on the sidewalk on the left, a small ladder and an automobile are on the right and the tall Farmers and Merchants Bank Building is visible in the distance.
View of a damaged commercial building housing Goodrich Silvertown Inc., Baty Electric and Ben Jon cleaners facing southwest towards the corner of Corner of Fourth Street and Pacific Avenue in Long Beach. The display windows are covered with boards, 2 men are on top of the building with a ladder and brick covers the sidewalk below. A wheelbarrow is on the sidewalk on the left, a small ladder and an automobile are on the right and the tall Farmers and Merchants Bank Building is visible in the distance.

City structures not built for shaking

The earthquake caused major damage to cities built largely without consideration of earthquake shaking. From Santa Ana (Rossmore Hotel) to Long Beach, Compton to Pasadena (Huntington Hotel), buildings were destroyed.

Debris filled the streets.

View of the Huntington Hotel damaged by the Long Beach earthquake, with rubble flowing down an exterior stairway. Two men are at the bottom of the stairway, 2 men stand on the banister on either side and 2 men stand at the top of the stairway. The hotel (built in 1907, located at 1401 South Oak Knoll) was repaired and in use until 1989 when it was torn down.
View of the earthquake-damaged building occupied by the Rossmore Hotel located at 406 N. Sycamore St. near 4th St. in Santa Ana with rubble covering the sidewalk. A commercial sign on the building reads "Santa Fe."
View of a Methodist Episcopal Church heavily damaged during the Long Beach earthquake. The stairways are filled with building rubble and the roof is destroyed. A sign to the left of the doorway reads "...Methodist Episcopal Church..."A sign above the doorway reads "'The Rock,' Powerful Bible Drama, Here Sunday Evening Mar. 12 - 7:30 pm. And a painted sing on the low retaining wall at the corner reads "E. 11th St."
View of a Methodist Episcopal Church heavily damaged during the Long Beach earthquake. The stairways are filled with building rubble and the roof is destroyed. A sign to the left of the doorway reads “…Methodist Episcopal Church…”A sign above the doorway reads “‘The Rock,’ Powerful Bible Drama, Here Sunday Evening Mar. 12 – 7:30 pm. And a painted sing on the low retaining wall at the corner reads “E. 11th St.”

Total damage was $50 million, or $1 billion today.

Trying to escape collapsing buildings ended up causing the most deaths

Ultimately, 120 people died. An investigation later reported about two-thirds of those deaths were caused by people being hit by falling bricks and architectural ornamentations as they tried to escape shaking buildings.

Remember, Drop, Cover, & Hold On is the best action during an earthquake.

View of a building façade with broken windows and building rubble beneath the central doorway, with 2 men looking up toward a mattress jutting out from a 2nd floor window.
View of a building façade with broken windows and building rubble beneath the central doorway, with 2 men looking up toward a mattress jutting out from a 2nd floor window.
View of a commercial building on Beacon Street damaged by the Long Beach earthquake. The upper cornice is damaged, and brick rubble covers the sidewalk. Business signs on the building read "A. Elkonin Jewelry," "Dr. Spires, Dentists," "Florsheim Shoes," "Golden Gate, Cafe," and "Lowrey - Michel Radios, RCA Victor."
View of a commercial building on Beacon Street damaged by the Long Beach earthquake. The upper cornice is damaged, and brick rubble covers the sidewalk. Business signs on the building read “A. Elkonin Jewelry,” “Dr. Spires, Dentists,” “Florsheim Shoes,” “Golden Gate, Cafe,” and “Lowrey – Michel Radios, RCA Victor.”

If the quake had hit three hours earlier, deaths likely would have been in the thousands from school buildings collapsing on students and staff.

School building safety quickly became law

Photograph of Lowell School (Lowell Bayside Academy, 1600 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach) damaged by the Long Beach earthquake; the central tower has lost its front walls. A sign on the curb reads "No Parking In This Block During School Hours." The remaining letters of on the damaged lintel above the entrance are "Ja...uss..."

From Huntington Beach to Long Beach to Los Angeles, many school buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed. Because of this, sweeping changes were made to ensure public schools held up better in future earthquakes.

Photograph of Polytechnic High School damaged by the Long Beach earthquake. The roof has collapsed on the left and there is rubble on the ground.
View of Franklin Junior High School destroyed by the Long Beach earthquake. The front wall has collapsed out towards the street and the roof has partially collapsed as a result. The school, rebuilt, is located at 540 Cerritos Ave. in Long Beach.
View of the entrance to Jefferson Junior High School after it was destroyed by the Long Beach earthquake. Jefferson Junior High School, located on Euclid Ave. between 7th and 8th Streets, was designed by architects Allison and Allison with Carl Alfred Herman Anderson and completed in 1922. It was destroyed by the 1933 earthquake.

A new law, The Field Act, named after California Assemblyman Don Field, was passed in a mere 30 days after the quake.

Since the Field Act went into effect, no school building has collapsed, nor has there been any loss of life at a school site due to an earthquake. Learning from past earthquakes is the best way to ensure we are safer from shaking when the next big quake comes our way.

The California Geological Survey (CGS) Seismic Hazards Program provides technical information and advice to the Division of State Architect regarding geologic hazards to schools. 

The earthquake also caused widespread liquefaction, where saturated sandy soils temporarily liquefy from shaking. This can even cause water & sand to “erupt” out of the ground & form “sand boils.” Mr. Goddard’s friend witnessed one of these in a nearby strawberry field.

Black text on white background reads: "[excerpt from a letter by A. Goddard to his fiancé, Francelia Chittenden. Dated Mar. 15, 1933] Following story is vouched for by Walt [Lehnhardt]. Just following the earthquake a Japanese farmer came tearing over to the Lehnhardt home excited. “Water come up in strawberry field! No well, no irrigation. How come?” Walt investigated and sure enough water was bubbling through a crack in the strawberry patch where no well or irrigation pipe had been. The quake had produced an artesian well to irrigate the strawberries. (text courtesy of the Orange County Historical Society)"
Photograph of a sand boil (sometimes called a sand volcano) caused by liquefaction during the Long Beach earthquake.
Photograph of a sand boil (sometimes called a sand volcano) caused by liquefaction during the Long Beach earthquake.

The 1933 Long Beach earthquake showed what a strong quake can do to the California urban landscape. It also demonstrated how communities come together to support each other…and how we can make changes now to reduce the impact next time.

Additional Information

For more information on the California Geological Survey, visit the website at www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs and follow on Twitter and Instagram @CAGeoSurvey.

Check out CGS’ 1933 Long Beach earthquake summary webpage for more details.

Follow Department of Conservation’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more on our role in managing California’s hazards, watersheds, and carbon while supporting the state’s economic development.

Media Sources

Media sources: The Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA (https://bit.ly/3t00afy)

Department of Archives & Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount Univ. (https://bit.ly/3hY4Ufi)

USGS Digital Media archives (https://on.doi.gov/3HXd3ex)

Text of Allen Goddard’s letters courtesy of @OC_History (https://bit.ly/3CwDDdg)





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