Throughout 1811 and 1812, a series of seismic events hit the state of Missouri. The earthquakes, centered in New Madrid, jolted the eastern section of the United States. Over a little more than a month, three massive earthquakes occurred, rare events for that part of the country. People could feel the tremors as far away as New York City. The quakes' magnitudes were estimated to have been between seven and eight on the Richter scale.
The New Madrid earthquakes were
solemn
powerful
fleeting
harmless