These 9 Photos From Southern California’s Massive 1933 Earthquake Will Make Your Jaw Drop

Southern California may be known for its sandy beaches, towering palm trees, and glorious blue skies, but it's also known for something less appealing and even quite dangerous - earthquakes.

Although we haven't had a major quake in SoCal for quite some time (knock on wood) we have had some devastating earthquakes in the past that have left behind a trail of destruction. Here's a look at one of SoCal's worst earthquakes in history; the pictures will make your jaw drop.

The year was 1933 and one of the most deadly earthquakes in Southern California history left a trail of destruction.

The massive Long Beach earthquake registered at 6.25 on the Richter scale and resulted in streets and buildings turned to shambles in a matter of seconds.

Pictured here: an eerie photo of a little girl posing for the camera with the evidence of the earthquake's aftermath trailing behind her.

Even the popular Woolworth five and dime store located in Santa Ana couldn't survive the quake.

Many schools in Southern California were severely damaged in this quake. Pictured here: John Muir School in Long Beach.

From rooftops to main structures and everything in between, the damage left an imprint on Southern California for a very long time. Pictured here: Compton High School.

In addition to destroyed buildings, cracked highway pavement was another one of the many casualties of this devastating earthquake that stretched on for miles and miles.

After the devastating earthquake that left countless Southern Californians homeless, tons of donations of food and clothes showed up at local shelters and parks. Pictured here: Bixby Park in 1933.

As the result of the damages from the 1933 earthquake in Long Beach, a greater awareness for the need of earthquake-resistant buildings began to grow over time and has since led to new and improved construction in the modern era.

Have you ever seen photos of the 1933 earthquake in Southern California? It's hard to believe this happened right here in our backyard.

If you enjoy taking a look back at Southern California's past, you may also want to view these vintage photos of SoCal back in 1950. What an incredible decade!