Local historian and author Betsy J. Green will present a free talk titled The Great Santa Barbara Earthquake – The Survivors Speak at the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society’s monthly meeting, 9:30 a.m.-noon at First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave., Santa Barbara.

The program will also be available virtually via Zoom with advance registration at SBGen.org.

At 6:42 a.m. on June 29, 1925, a powerful earthquake struck Santa Barbara, shaking residents from their beds and toppling buildings across the city.

Green’s presentation brings the disaster to life through first-hand accounts from survivors: hotel guests staggering through debris, families rushing outside in panic, and downtown residents dodging falling bricks.

Amid the chaos, the community came together. Over cups of strong coffee and makeshift breakfasts at De la Guerra Plaza and Alameda Park, neighbors began imagining a rebuilt Santa Barbara that would become the envy of cities across the country.

A long-time member of the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society, Green is the author of “Way Back When: Santa Barbara in 1914-1919, 1924,” and other titles chronicling the city’s past.

Green has shared her research with local audiences, including the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Maritime Museum, Yacht Club, and Rotary clubs.

Copies of her book “Way Back When: Santa Barbara in 1925” will be available for purchase at the June 21 event.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m. for refreshments and informal discussions with the Society’s Special Interest Groups, covering a variety of topics from getting started in genealogy to writing family histories.

A short business meeting begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by Green’s presentation at 11 a.m.

For more about the Genealogical Society, visit SBGen.org.