Most bicentennial observances mark happy occasions, such as the 200th anniversary in 1976 of our country’s birth. This year’s bicentennial is very different. During the winter of 1811–12, a series of violent earthquakes rocked and rattled the Mississippi Valley of North America. But that’s just the beginning of the story . . .
The first big shocks hit early in the morning on December 16, 1811. A scientist on a Mississippi riverboat recalled that the riverbanks fell into the water with such force that the boat almost sank. Many minor and three major quakes followed, with the last on February 7, 1812. During the February quake, the town of New Madrid, in what is now Missouri, was completely destroyed. The ruined town gave its name to the series of earthquakes.
According to contemporary reports, the New Madrid tremors caused remarkable effects. Waterfalls formed in the Mississippi River, and the river flowed backward. The ground rippled like ocean waves. Great cracks opened in the earth. Sandblows, like sand volcanoes, erupted in the fields. Nor were the quakes just local events. In fact, the shocks were felt over 1 million square miles. (Compare that to the great 1906 San Francisco quake, which was felt over only 6,200 square miles.) People in Pittsburgh and Norfolk, Virginia, were awakened by the shaking. Church bells in Boston and Toronto were set ringing. Even as far away as Maine, some chimneys tumbled down.
The New Madrid earthquakes claimed relatively few lives, because the area was sparsely populated. Today, however, the region is densely populated, and the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is still active. If an earthquake of the same magnitude of the 1811–12 quakes were to hit, it could cause unimaginable damage and loss of life. So, you may want to keep your observances of this bicentennial pretty quiet.
Image credit: ©U.S. Geological Survey/National Center
Related Links
- 1812 New Madrid Earthquake
Read eyewitness accounts of earthquake activity.
(Source: Wikipedia; accessed January 31, 2012) - 1811–1812 New Madrid Earthquakes Bicentennial
This site includes information on how to prepare for earthquakes.
(Source: 1811–1812 New Madrid Earthquakes Bicentennial; accessed January 31, 2012) - New Madrid’s 2011 Channel
Listen to nine scholars explain various aspects of the earthquakes.
(Source: NewMadrid2011; accessed January 31, 2012) - NMSZ Science
Learn more about the science of the New Madrid Seismic Zone.
(Source: 1811–1812 New Madrid Earthquakes Bicentennial; accessed January 31, 2012) - New Madrid Earthquake 2011–2012: The Scope
Would your community be affected in the event of another “New Madrid earthquake”? Click on “the scope” on this map and find out.
(Source: Esri Maps; accessed January 31, 2012) - Missouri Earthquake History
This USGS site provides information on earthquakes in the New Madrid area since 1812.
(Source: United States Geological Survey; accessed January 31, 2012) - The Great Central U.S. Shake-Out
Read how people in the area that would be affected by another big quake are raising awareness of the danger.
(Source: USC Southern California Earthquake Center; accessed January 31, 2012)
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