Category: Then & Now
Compare history with the present in fascinating “Then and Now” photo pairs. See how cities, landmarks, and people changed over time.
These visual contrasts show the beauty of transformation and the persistence of heritage.
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#14 The Conservatory of Flowers stands undamaged as now-homeless citizens camp in a tent shelter
This “then and now” historical photo blends two eras into a single city scene, pairing a busy modern sidewalk with a black-and-white street view dominated by a tall clock tower in the distance. In the foreground, everyday life continues with pedestrians, a small street-market setup, and tents forming a temporary shelter along the block, creating…
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#30 Shocked residents walk by parked cars on California St amidst the devastation.
This striking historical street photo captures shocked residents walking along California Street as they pass parked cars and stare into a corridor of destruction. Streetcar tracks lead the eye down the center of the roadway, while a haze hangs over the distant skyline, emphasizing the scale of the devastation.
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#46 Van Ness and Vallejo.
A striking “then and now” view of Van Ness and Vallejo layers a historical black-and-white scene onto a modern street corner, revealing how the intersection has evolved over time. In the contemporary photo, warm late-day light falls across multi-story buildings with bay windows, street trees, and today’s traffic markings, giving the setting a familiar neighborhood…
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#62 Pedestrians cross Jones St towards a pile of rubble on Market Street. The Hibernia Bank building is burned out, but still standing strong.
In this striking then-and-now historical photo, pedestrians cross Jones Street toward Market Street, where a sprawling pile of rubble crowds the roadway. The scene is busy with people navigating debris, wagons, and scattered materials, giving a vivid sense of a city street in the aftermath of destruction.
