Edith Irvine

Lizzie Edith Irvine (7 January 1884 – 1949) was an American photographer who documented the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Born into a wealthy family in Northern California, Irvine became interested in photography as a child and continued throughout her young adult life, photographing the progress of the Electra Power Project near her home. In 1906, Irvine happened to arrive in San Francisco just hours after the earthquake struck, and was able to take photographs of the aftermath despite the armed guards posted around the city trying to downplay the extent of the damage. In her later years, Irvine suffered from severe joint pains and became addicted to painkillers and alcohol. Following her death, her photographs were donated to the Brigham Young University Library in Provo, Utah.

Early life Edith Irvine was born in Sheep Ranch, Calaveras County, California to Thomas Hanna Irvine and Mary Irene (Hills) Irvine. At the time, her father was a gold miner and had been involved in real estate. Irvine was one of three children, one of whom died in infancy. The Irvine family moved around in the general area and eventually settled in Mokelumne Hill in 1900. Irvine was known for being "very smart," and likely was introduced to photography by Frank Peek, one of her classmates who was also interested in photography. This project, located near her home on the Mokelumne River, was completed in 1902 after four years of construction. According to family tradition, Standard Electric of California, later named Pacific Gas & Electric Company, hired her to photograph the project. No records have been found to substantiate this claim. They range in subject matter from landscapes, construction, and bridges, to everyday life including family portraits, infant deaths and Mokelumne Hill townscapes. Her work includes much variety, from a redwood forest to city buildings, as well as the earthquake and its effect on architecture, streetscapes, fires, and prevailing activities amidst the destruction. Until the publication of that book, a vast majority of Irvine's photographs had never been published.

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