Earthquakes that carved out parts of Tennessee

More than 200 years ago, West Tennessee was shaken violently by a series of powerful earthquakes felt as far away as New York City, Boston and even Montreal.

These earthquakes are referred to as the New Madrid earthquakes – named after the city of New Madrid, Missouri, which was close to the epicenter.

The results of the earthquakes in 1811 and 1812 are visible today in the Tennessee landscape.

According to Dr. Mitch Withers, not many people lived in the area at the time. “It was mostly frontier,” he explained, “however, there were enough people around that it was reasonably well documented with some very nice personal accounts from people who were living in the area at the time.”

The houses, the trees, the whole ground shook. Some believed that the end of the world had come and that there would be no more time.

Mary Morris Smith written account of the earthquake of 1811 Writing by Mary Morris Smith of the earthquake of 1811 Mary Morris Smith written account of the earthquake of 1811

Dr. Withers is an Associate Research Professor at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information, or CERI, at the University of Memphis.

The New Madrid earthquakes were strong enough to create a new lake known as Lake Reliefoot. Earthquakes were estimated between 7 and 8 degrees.

Will another set of earthquakes shape Tennessee again in the future? Dr Withers thinks this is possible, “In addition to those three very large earthquakes, we can make estimates based on geology and how often they have occurred in the past. The USGS estimates that there is about a 10% probability that these earthquakes will repeat. 1811 in the next 50 years. “

Reelfoot Lake Gallery at the Tennessee State Museum, 1955. Tennessee State Library and Archives. Also called “Crane Town” at Lake Reliefoot, showing the nest of egret, blue heron and cormorant, 1939. Tennessee State Library and Archives. Footbridge in Lake State Park Reliefoot, 1938. Tennessee State Library and Archives. Cypress trees in Reliefoot Lake, 1938. Tennessee State Library and Archives. Cypress trees and a view of Reliefoot Lake near Blue Bank, 1938. Tennessee State Library and Archives. A typical boat dock at Lake Reliefoot, 1938. Tennessee State Library and Archives. Two individuals catch seabream among cypress trees and shore covers at Reliefoot Lake, 1940. Tennessee State Library and Archives. Aerial view of Lake Relft and the city of Samburg, Tennessee, Tennessee State Library and Archives, aerial view of Lake Relft from the southeast to the northwest, 1941. Tennessee State Library and Archives. Aerial view of Relefoot Lake, showing cypress and hood beds near the shore. 1941. Tennessee State Library and Archives. A pontoon boat anchors in a bed of shore linen on Reliefoot Lake, 1969. Tennessee State Library and Archives. 1818 This beautifully colored map of Tennessee created by John Millish from surveys by John Strathers after the war in 1812. It shows early county lines, Indian borders before the Treaty of Jackson, and other concessions to Indian territory after the war, along with some statistical and geological observations. Western Tennessee is still a Chickasaw state, and the southeast corner of the state is in the hands of the Cherokee. It is clear that Melish was working remotely and did not go to Tennessee, where there are many fictional bugs such as the eastern edge of the state, the Reynoldsburg site and the “earthquake” [Reelfoot] Lake “and many misspellings. Some features of the period are noted such as Fort Deposit, the Southwest Point Garrison, and the US Agency of Cherokee. Beautiful color map of Tennessee as it appeared in 1822, shortly after Chickasaw’s lands were ceded by a treaty between the Tennessee Rivers and the Mississippi River The map shows newly formed western Tennessee counties in various colors and short-lived configurations that would change as new counties form. Also shown county seats, rivers, and mountains. Recently formed (by the New Madrid earthquakes of 1812-13) Lake Relfot looks somewhat fictional ‘Lake Wood ‘; Muscle Shoals can also be seen in Alabama, as well as some Cherokee grounds in southeast Tennessee.

Learn more about the Tennessee State Library and Archives here.

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