On december 16, 1811, a major earthquake occurred with its epicenter in the town of new madrid now in the state of missouri. The series of earthquakes destroyed several settlements, dramatically affected the landscape and even altered the flow of the mississippi. December 16, 1811 march 15, 1812 jared brooks was a resident of louisville. The series of new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 was one of the. In 1811, the population was about 1,000 people made up of farmers, fur traders and pioneers supplemented by french creoles and native. Unlike those two earthquakes, the new madrid quake of 1811 caused relatively little loss of lifebut only because, in 1811, the mississippi valley was sparsely settled. The new madrid earthquakes of 181112 strange happenings worlds most damaginglongest earthquakes dec. From december 16, 1811 through march of 1812 there were over 2,000 earthquakes in the central midwest, and between 6,00010,000 earthquakes in the bootheel of missouri where new madrid is located near the junction of the ohio and mississippi rivers. Four earthquakes of around magnitude 8 occurred in this seismic area in the winter of 181112, and this region continues to exhibit the highest level of seismicity in the central and eastern states of the nation. Lovett, quake analysis rewrites history books, nature news, april 29, 2010. A pretty good summary of information about the new madrid earthquake, but if you want to know that basic information with some fascinating related stories, read when the mississippi ran backwards.
Louis and natchez, but this was not a great achievement. I thought it probably gave a pretty accurate picture of what the damage was. Named for new madrid, one of the settlements on the. The 181112 quakes damaged the local landscape in dramatic and visible ways. Nueva madrid is a city in new madrid county, missouri, united states. New simulations of 18111812 new madrid earthquakes show. The new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 missouri heritage. Center for earthquake research and information, the university of memphis. There were thousands of aftershocks, of which 1,874 were large enough to be felt in louisville, kentucky, about 190 miles 300 km away. From december 1811 to february 1812, massive earthquakes shook the middle mississippi valley. New madrid claims in township 44 north, range 10 west in callaway county, missouri. The roosevelts and the crew of the new orleans were about 200 miles from the epicenter on december 16, and they felt the shock distinctly. Drake published his observations in 1815 in his book, natural and statistical view, or.
Jared brooks new madrid earthquake catalog saint louis university earthquake center 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 n u m b e r o f u e a r t h q u a k e s all shocks d e c e m b e r y 2 2 d e c e m b e r r 2 9 j a n u a y 5 j a n u a r 1 2 j a a r y 1 9 j a yr 2 6. The maximum documented intensity for both earthquakes on december 16, 1811, is mm intensity viii at richmond, kentucky. Geologist, myron fuller, spent several years in the field between 19001905 scouting the new madrid fault zone on foot and on horseback. On the night of 16th november sic, 1811, an earthquake occurred, that produced great consternation amongst the people. Empire, intrigue, murder, and the new madrid earthquakes. If a strong new madrid earthquake, with a magnitude equal to the historic 18111812 earthquakes 7. This is the third principal shock of the 18111812 sequence.
The best account of these fearful convulsions that could be obtained is given in the following letter, written to rev. In addition, the first known written record of an earthquake felt in the new madrid seismic zone occurred on christmas day of 1699. New madrid compendium eyewitness accounts ceri the. New madrid resident eliza bryan later wrote that 120 miles away in new madrid, on the 16th of. This beautifully written book will stand as a model for integrating environmental and social history with the history of science. The new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 missouri life magazine. New madrid, a town across the river from todays historical marker, had been settled in 1789, and its 3000 residents were proud to live in the oldest city west of the river. The 18111812 events were some of the largest in the united states since its settlement by europeans, and the nmsz spans portions of seven states. The new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 missouri life.
The new madrid earthquakes of 181112 strange happenings. It was technically a respectably sized town on the mississippi river between st. It got its name from its primary location in the new madrid seismic zone, near new madrid, louisiana territory now missouri. Jared brooks new madrid earthquake catalog december 16.
This book answers many of the mysteries surrounding these dramatic early. That being said, this is a fantastic work on the history of the new madrid earthquakes and the history of that history. Shortly after 2 oclock on the morning of december 16, 1811, the mississippi river valley was convulsed by an earthquake so severe that it awakened people in cities as distant at pittsburgh, pennsylvania, and norfolk, virginia. From december 1811 to february 1812, massive earthquakes shook the middle mississippi valley, collapsing homes, snapping large trees midtrunk, and briefly but dramatically reversing the flow of the continents mightiest river. The evening was unpleasantdark and cloudy, pierce recalled, and the weather unusually thick and hazy. Earthquakes, 181112 description of the new madrid earthquake courtesy of the tennessee historical society between middecember 1811 and midmarch 1812 a series of catastrophic earthquakes shook west tennessee and the rest of the central mississippi valley. On december 15, 1811, william pierce was traveling the rivers of the west in a flatbottomed boat, about 116 miles below the mouth of the ohio river and just south of new madrid. Bryans letter was published in dows biographical book history of cosmopolite. This is an isoseismal map from otto nuttlis paper about the 18111812 sequence of three earthquakes that happened in new madrid. Computer simulations of earthquake shaking, replicating the quakes that occurred in 18111812 in the new madrid seismic zone nmsz, indicate that future large earthquakes there would produce major, prolonged ground shaking. The geologic record of pre1811 earthquakes reveals that the new madrid seismic zone has repeatedly produced sequences of major earthquakes, including several of magnitude 7 to 8, over the past 4,500 years. The series of new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 was one of the most dramatic natural disasters to strike the north american continent. Even far from the epicenters, the new madrid earthquakes were powerful. Usgs and ceri scientists estimate that there is a 2540% chance of a magnitude 6.
Although ohio is on the fringe of the new madrid seismic zone, it is obvious from contemporary accounts that damage occurred in southwestern ohio. The first earthquake of this series on december 16, 1811, was located in northeast arkansas. This is an unabridged reprint of the first book and first thorough scientific work ever published on the great new madrid earthquakes of 181112. For decades, people puzzled over the causes of the quakes, but by the time the nation began to recover from the civil war, the new madrid earthquakes had been. On december 15, 1811, william pierce was traveling the rivers of the west in. An isoseismal map is one in which similarly felt seismic intensities are contoured so that you can see how far away different intensities of shaking were felt from the epicenter of the earthquake. New madrid earthquakes of 1811 12, series of three large earthquakes that occurred near new madrid, missouri, between december 1811 and february 1812. The book contains plenty of factual and historical data on the new madrid fault.
New madrid earthquakes of 181112 united states britannica. Bicentennial of the 18111812 new madrid earthquake. Fuller eliza bryan, a resident of new madrid, said that early in the morning of december 16, 1811, we were visited by a violent shock of an earthquake, accompanied by a very awful noise, resembling loud but distant thunder, but more hoarse and vibrating which was followed in a few. The new madrid earthquakes of 1811 1812 missouri heritage readers on free shipping on qualified orders. The initial new madrid quake was between nine and twelve times more powerful than either of them. New madrid the earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 youtube.
This documentary tells the story of the historic earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 that struck near the town of new madrid, mo and proceeded to rattle a. The number of lives lost from the earthquakes remains unknown. Earthquakes of 18111812 new madrid, mo official website. Earthquake consortium cusec executive director jim wilkinson moderates a panel discussion during the 18th annual earthquakes mean business seminar on feb. It caused only slight damage to manmade structures, mainly because of the sparse population in the epicentral area. Summary of 18111812 new madrid earthquakes sequence. In the early hours of december 16, 1811, most ohio residents were deep in sleep. The new madrid earthquake of 18111812 hearthstone legacy. The 181112 new madrid earthquakes were a series of intense intraplate earthquakes. The worlds largest sand boil was created by the new madrid earthquake. I was expecting this to be similar, full of anecdotal stories and such, but two earthquake books couldnt be much different. I was interested in finding out more about the new madrid earthquake fault and this book was recommended. The lost history of the new madrid earthquakes by conevery. This earthquake was preceded by three other major quakes.
The lost history of the new madrid earthquakes youtube. The evening of december 15, 1811, in the new madrid area was clear and quiet, with no. The winter of 181112 experienced the greatest burst of seismic energy in the history of the original 48 states. New madrid, missouri was at the back end of nowhere.
The new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 missouri heritage readers. The san francisco earthquake of 1906 was about the same size. The author wrote it about 100 years after the earthquake of 181112, so he had to depend a lot on the observations of the few people who had written them down. Those who had dared return to their damaged homes watched the earth. Engagingly written and ambitiously researchedboth in the scientific literature and the writings of the timethe lost history of the new madrid earthquakes will be an important resource in environmental history, geology, and seismology, as well as history of science and medicine and early american and native american history. New madrid earthquakes of 181112, series of three large earthquakes that occurred near new madrid, missouri, between december 1811 and february 1812. These earthquakes destroyed approximately half the town of. New madrid is the county seat of new madrid county. These eyewitness accounts give a glimpse at what was seen and experienced by people as the earthuquakes occurred. Only eight years before the earthquake struck, the us had bought from the french the louisiana purchase, a huge swath of land west of the mighty river. This documentary tells the story of the historic earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 that struck near the town of new madrid. In her book, the lost history of the new madrid earthquakes, valencius chronicles this. How a trio of hellish earthquakes prompted americas first disaster.
Strange happenings during the earthquakes new madrid, mo. Enlightening, i grew up in the midwest, i had no idea of the magnitude of the damage. The centre of the violence was in new madrid, missouri, but the whole valley of the mississippi was violently agitated. Bicentennial of the 18111812 new madrid earthquake sequence december 20112012 a series of earthquakes hit the new madrid seismic zone of southeastern missouri, northeastern arkansas, and adjacent parts of tennessee and kentucky, in december 1811 to february 1812. What if the 181112 new madrid earthquakes happened today scroll over the timeline from 1800 to 2010 to see the population of the united states grow to see what the impact of the 18111812 new madrid earthquake would have today. New madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 genealogy trails. The effects of the great new madrid earthquakes in ohio. Why missouri still hasnt gotten over the 1811 new madrid. On the basis of the large area of damage 600,000 square kilometers, the widespread area of perceptibility 5,000,000 square kilometers, and the complex physiographic changes that occurred, the new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 rank as some of the largest in the united states since its settlement by europeans. You may not think of missouri as being at risk of a major earthquake, but in 181112, the new madrid seismic zone produced three of the largest earthquakes ever experienced in the continental united states. Eliza bryan letter to lorenzo dow 1816 eliza bryan 1780 1866 one of the most important eyewitnesses to the new madrid earthquakes related her experiences in 1816 to the prominent methodist evangelist lorenzo dow. The great earthquake at new madrid, a 19thcentury woodcut from devens our first century 1877 a number of earthquakes that happened near the town of new madrid, in late 1811, and early 1812 are known as the 181112 new madrid earthquakes today.
Fulfilled this true story reveals a hidden dimension to american history and geology which shakes not only the earth, but our very rational conceptions of the relationship between science and spirit, between geology and gaia. When the new madrid earthquakes rattled the midwest in 1811 and 1812. The strange story of the massive 181112 new madrid earthquakes, and why midwesterners still havent gotten over them. The city is located 42 miles 68 km southwest of cairo, illinois, and north of an exclave of fulton county, kentucky, across the mississippi river. Bryan wrote in a letter later published in the book history of a cosmopolite. New madrid claims are distinguished from other private claims by the wording certificate no. A sailors record of the new madrid earthquake 1812. The new madrid seismic region in the central mississippi valley hides one of the greatest earthquake danger in the central united states. The lost history of the new madrid earthquakes, valencius.
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