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New Madrid earthquake begins the 1811-12 sequence

When
1811
Where
New Madrid, Missouri; Mississippi River, as reported from New Madrid
Episodes
2

The New Madrid earthquake sequence began on December 16, 1811, with a major shock estimated at magnitude 7.2–8.2. Contemporary accounts describe intense shaking, environmental disturbances, and temporary retrograde flow in the Mississippi River near New Madrid, Missouri.

Episodes

  1. 16 December 1811 · New Madrid, MissouriInitial Earthquake and Aftershock

    A major earthquake struck on December 16, 1811, followed by a strong aftershock the same day, causing widespread alarm.

  2. 16 December 1811 · Mississippi River, as reported from New MadridRiver Phenomena

    Contemporary reports describe the Mississippi River's current as temporarily retrograde during the earthquake.

Background and detail

Background. The event is named for the Mississippi River town of New Madrid, then part of the Louisiana Territory. The initial earthquake occurred on December 16, 1811, with an estimated moment magnitude of 7.2–8.2. A significant aftershock followed later that same day. These events were felt strongly across a vast area of the central and eastern United States.

Contemporary Reports. Eyewitnesses recorded dramatic phenomena, including loud noises, sulphurous vapors, and darkness. Eliza Bryan described the Mississippi River's current as retrograde for a few minutes due to an irruption in its bed. John Bradbury also documented the tremors on the night of December 15, 1811, noting the consternation among the people.

Local Impacts. The shaking caused structural damage, particularly to chimneys and wooden buildings, and trees fell on structures in the epicentral area. The population of New Madrid declined significantly as alarmed inhabitants fled the town. The event was part of a series of earthquakes that had tremendous local effects in the sparsely settled area.

People involved

Sources

  1. 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-30
  2. Mississippi River Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-19

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.