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. Family history in California Edith’s grandfather, William Irvine, had been born in Ireland as the youngest of nine children, and later traveled with his brother James to California during the gold rush. Both brothers found success in mining, and James joined the upper class in southern California and owned both the Irvine Ranch in Orange County and a produce and delivery business in San Francisco, and kept a residence in San Francisco at Folsom and Eleventh streets. Edith’s grandfather, William, was also successful in his mining ventures and in real estate. He willed over $100,000 to his relatives through the liquidation of many of his properties, which was done after his death in 1886. Thomas Irvine, Edith’s father, likely received money from the will in 1886. Wilma Plunkett indicates that the “family fortunes increased due to acquisitions of mines and other real estate,” and that the Irvine family became part of the “upper social strata of the area.” Photography By her early teens, Irvine had created a darkroom in a rear corner of her family home in Mokelumne Hill. At age 14,