View of the earthquake-damaged San Marcos Building at night at the south corner of State and Anapamu Streets. The corner of the building was demolished by the earthquake. A tractor-mounted crane is clearing away rubble on the left. Two workers are in the center of the image between the crane and a car half-buried in rubble. A steam shovel with a sign reading "Keyst..." (the beginning of "Keystone Excavator") is on the right.
On June 29, 1925 at 6:42 am a major earthquake hit the area of Santa Barbara. It was 19 seconds in duration and registered 6.8 on the Richter magnitude scale. The downtown of Santa Barbara was destroyed, the Sheffield Dam collapsed, and thirteen people died. The facade of the Mission Santa Barbara was severely damaged and lost its statues. Three persons thought to shut off the town electricity and gas, thereby preventing catastrophic fire. The city was rebuilt in a unified Spanish Colonial Revival style in 1925-1929.