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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#4 The Stanford Memorial Church was wrecked with a fallen spire, cracked walls, and destroyed mosaics.
This historical photo captures the Stanford Memorial Church in the aftermath of severe damage, with rubble piled high across the entrance and the upper structure torn open. The grand Romanesque arches still frame the doorways, but the broken masonry and scattered stone show how violently the building was shaken. It’s a striking “then” view of…
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#20 Residents take to the grass at Lafayette Park to get a view of the massive fires engulfing the city while a Muni bus stops below.
This striking then-and-now photo from Lafayette Park captures residents gathered on the grassy slope, pausing to look out over a cityscape choked with thick smoke and towering flames. In the foreground, figures sit and stand in period clothing, their silhouettes set against a dramatic skyline where multiple plumes rise from buildings across the horizon.
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#36 The Hearst Building at 3rd and Market.
This “Then & Now” image spotlights the Hearst Building at 3rd and Market, capturing a striking view of the corner façade with its name still visible high on the wall. The historic photo shows a battered exterior with shattered windows and debris at street level, while the contemporary scene overlays today’s busy intersection and storefronts.
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#52 California and Grant. Singfat is quick to reopen, if even just a temporary stand on top of the rubble so they could reclaim their territory.
This “Then & Now” historical photo overlay captures the corner of California and Grant, blending a present-day Chinatown streetscape with a striking black-and-white scene of devastation. Modern storefronts and street activity frame the intersection, while the older image shows broken walls, rubble, and makeshift structures occupying the same space.
