Epicenter: A Loma Prieta Earthquake Story with Beth Savage
Epicenter: The Loma Prieta Earthquake 30th Anniversary Oral Histories Project
Interview conducted by Kathleen Aston and produced by Jenn Hooker.
Recorded at Santa Cruz Community Television, Santa Cruz, CA on October 14, 2019.
Beth Savage worked at the old Saturn Café and experienced the quake from there; her story describes her experience there, and the tragedy of her roommate's lover, Robin Ortiz, who died in the collapse of the Coffee Roasting Company. In doing so, she gives insight into the effects on the queer community, of which she and Robin were part.
Duration:
1:07:57
Time Summary:
0:28 Interview starts
0:47 Describes relationship to Santa Cruz, where she was from 1983-1998
1:18 Being unable to live in Santa Cruz due to high cost of living
1:38 Describes experiencing earthquake from Saturn Cafe on Mission; was about to go see folk singer, "Frank", at the Catalyst
2:18 First vibrations and understanding – people running out of the building
2:47 Understanding it was bigger than before, and the scene outside, telephone poles bouncing
3:25 Slow day at the shop, and immediate damage to shop
4:03 Making the customer feel okay
4:19 Boss leaving to take care of pregnant wife
4:42 Leaving, understanding of extent of quake, and aftershocks
5:27 “Carpet of glass” from businesses on the ground; walking bike back to home on Rigg Street
6:38 Seeing fires round Spruce Street area from Laurel and Mission
7:30 Traffic, power outages
7:59 Getting home, finding the cats, listening to news by radio; state of the house
9:05 Concern for roommate; hearing about fires in Berkeley
9:36 Considering still going to the Catalyst that night
10:15 Roommate, whose lover worked at the Coffee Roasters, had gone down to the Coffee Roasting company
10:57 Seeing someone she knows walking around, and waiting out on the porch
11:56 Around 10:30, goes to find roommate – had just signed lease on new house
12:47 Others sleep in yard – Beth goes downtown; describes scene there
14:04 Describes scene walking down Walnut Street, power lines in street
15:37 Gets to Coffee Roasting company – pile of rubble
16:18 Looking for roommate; discovers that roommate's lover, Robin Ortiz, is trapped – waiting for Robin to be found
17:38 Comparing her own memory, that Shawn McCormick's girlfriend was found in the rubble, against media reports which told a different story
18:23 Waiting, and workers stopping looking for their safety
19:55 Going to new house with roommate
20:41 Driving to friends' houses to see if they were okay
21:20 Length of power outage, and restoration of power; communication problems
21:58 Returning to Coffee Roasters, and sitting with Robin's friends, Shawn McCormick's girlfriend
22:43 Shawn McCormick found dead, and the media circus
23:51 Robin's friends and family
24:21 Young group dealing with grief, and discussion of hesitancy to do this interview
25:33 Decision to stop looking, protest and arrests
26:30 Going back to the Saturn to get food
27:45 Understanding of destruction in the rest of Santa Cruz, the mall; chain link around downtown
28:46 Emotional impact and difficulties talking about Robin; remembering Robin and Shawn
29:42 Describes Robin, and their relationship, and a memento from Robin
31:21 Beth's roommate at the Coffee Roasters before 5
31:47 Queer politics at the time, and Robin's role as an out lesbian and community work
32:20 Robin's love of life, and Beth's lack of love for life at the time
33:21 Protecting her from becoming a soundbite
33:38 Crowds in evening days later; Robin's body found, and spectacle of Robin's body being taken out
35:56 Escaping the cameras with her roommate, who had fainted
36:36 Difficulty talking about seeing her body, and reflections on seeing footage of the mayor now
37:29 People in the community describe seeing Beth on TV
38:04 Seeing news footage of herself on the 20th anniversary, and incorrect statement that they were running during the quake
39:01 Being gay, and the gay community being your family
39:50 Love for Santa Cruz
40:07 The funeral, Robin's mom staying with them, and grief v media spectacle
41:07 Devastation of losing Santa Cruz, and love for mall
41:39 Confusion at state of destruction, and state of destruction a while after quake, businesses in tents
42:35 Decade-long rebuild, and redefinition of town – “never been the same”
43:29 Memories of the Cooper House
44:04 Power coming back on, and not going back to work for grief, going back Saturday
44:51 People wanting to talk, and not being able to talk about experiences
45:20 Aftershock on the six month anniversary
45:37 People leaving, and not wanting to leave
45:55 Family in Vermont watching baseball game when quake hit, and impossibility of communicating
47:29 Sister wrote a paper about what happened
48:06 Desire for involvement in rebuilding
48:20 Frank the folk singer coming back a year later
49:11 People coming together after the quake, and businesses that were destroyed
50:07 Different perspectives, business owners, community
50:30 Returning to buildings on Pacific Garden Mall
51:19 Changes to everyday life through destruction of establishments
53:26 Precautions, or lack of, and inability to be truly ready
Rights:
Permission must be obtained before using this interview in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who want to make further use of this interview should contact Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
Savage, Beth, Kathleen Aston, and Jenn Hooker. “Epicenter: A Loma Prieta Earthquake Story with Beth Savage.” 2019-10-14. SCPL Local History. https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/items/show/135870. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.