Herbert Hamrol
Encyclopedia
Herbert Heimie Hamrol was, at the time of his death, thought to be the last known survivor of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
. Several days after his death, however, two other survivors were discovered.
Hamrol was three years old at the time of the earthquake, and remembered few events from the time, including living in tents with his mother in Golden Gate Park
.
He worked as a telephone company clerk and food wholesaler. From 1967 until the week before his death in 2009 he worked as a clerk in Andronico's Market
, a small San Francisco Bay Area
grocery chain.
He was married for 40 years to Celia Hamrol, who died in 1969. He remained sad over her death, and never remarried.
Hamrol began attending earthquake anniversaries in 2003, at age 100, which made him a celebrity. In 2006 a documentary
, 1906 was released featuring Hamrol, then 103 years old, and his work at Andronico's. It is the only feature film devoted to the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake.
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
. Several days after his death, however, two other survivors were discovered.
Hamrol was three years old at the time of the earthquake, and remembered few events from the time, including living in tents with his mother in Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
.
He worked as a telephone company clerk and food wholesaler. From 1967 until the week before his death in 2009 he worked as a clerk in Andronico's Market
Andronico's
Andronico's is a supermarket chain based primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its first store was founded in 1929 on Berkeley's Solano Avenue by Greek immigrant Frank Andronico. Since then, thirteen additional stores have opened and five have since closed...
, a small San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
grocery chain.
He was married for 40 years to Celia Hamrol, who died in 1969. He remained sad over her death, and never remarried.
Hamrol began attending earthquake anniversaries in 2003, at age 100, which made him a celebrity. In 2006 a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, 1906 was released featuring Hamrol, then 103 years old, and his work at Andronico's. It is the only feature film devoted to the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake.
External links
- AP Obituary in the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...