I want to talk about architecture for a moment, specifically residential architecture in San Francisco.

You expect to see stately Victorian homes with their bright colors and fancy decorative trim.

Then there's marina-style homes with their big windows and stucco facades.

But sprinkled amidst these grander homes, you might spot a few tiny cottages.

The original tiny homes.

I did see two over in the sunset. I think there was like two close together

and I thought maybe they might be with them, but I'm not sure. Charity Vargas, our question asker this

week, has seen some of these small dwellings dotted around the Richmond and sunset districts near

her home. And she's heard that the cottages are holdovers

from the great 1906 earthquake and fire.

But she wants to know more.

How many earthquake cottages are left?

And are they still used?

And where they are.

Today in the show, we'll dig into the history

of San Francisco's earthquake cottages.

We'll learn how critical they were in sheltering a vulnerable but vital population

and learn about modern efforts to save them.

I'm Olivia Allen Price, and you're listening to Bay Curious.

Stay with us.

We set out to answer Charity's question by searching for earthquake shacks, tiny homes built out of redwood and cedar after the 1906 earthquake and fire.

Bay Curious editor and producer Katrina Schwartz found one high on a hill in Bernal Heights.

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