New Madrid - On Shaky Ground

By Norma Hayes Bagnall. Although most Americans associate earthquakes with California, the tremors that shook the Mississippi valley in Southeast Missouri from Dec. 16th, 1811 thru Feb. 7th, 1812 are among the most violent quakes to ever hit the North American continent in recorded history. Collectively known as the New Madrid Quakes, they affected more than a million square miles. By comparison, the 1906 earthquake that hit San Francisco, affected only 60,000 square miles, less than a sixteenth of the area of the New Madrid quakes. Providing eyewitness accounts from people, both on the land and on the river, captures the fears of the residents, through their their tales about the smells and dark vapors that filled the air, the cries of the people, the bawling of the animals, and the constant roar of the river and it's collapsing banks. Informative, clearly written, and well-illustrated, this book is of interest to all readers, especially those interested in quakes and/or Missouri history. SC    $9.95