Pacific Street received its second transformation after the earthquake and fire of 1906 , when most of its buildings were destroyed . The city 's financial boosters then invested heavily in reconstruction and within three months over a dozen dance halls and a dozen bars were rebuilt and operating . This era of Pacific Street was nicknamed ' Terrific Street ' by musicians in describing the quality of music at Pacific Street 's clubs , and indeed the first jazz clubs of San Francisco would occur there . This new transformation of Pacific Street was gentrified and tame compared to the lawless pre-earthquake version of the Barbary Coast , and Terrific Street became a tourist mecca for middle-class youth . Archived photos of Terrific Street 's clubs like Spider Kelly 's show neatly dressed couples enjoying a harmless night of dancing
earthquake and fire of 1906
1906 San Francisco earthquake
International Settlement (San Francisco)