It’s Your Fault: A Conference Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the New Madrid Earthquakes

This event is free and open to the public. No registration required.

Two hundred years ago, a series of earthquakes occurred between December and February 1812 that rocked Missouri and a large portion of the southern United States. Modern estimations on the strength of the earthquakes place the three greatest between 7.0 and 8.6 in magnitude. Subsequent earthquakes have occurred in the region since that time, with the largest being a 6.6 magnitude quake near Charleston, Mo. in 1896. Opinion in the scientific community is divided over whether New Madrid Seismic zone activity, such as that experienced in 1811-1812, will occur again.

The Conference speakers will explore what Missouri was like in 1811, what occurred during the earthquakes, what makes New Madrid earthquakes unique, various theories about whether earthquakes of that magnitude will happen again, and, if they do, whether Missouri is ready. A reader’s theatre of actual eyewitness accounts from those living in or traveling through the New Madrid area around the time of the 1811-1812 quakes will also be presented.

Conference participants:

• Walter Schroeder, MU associate professor emeritus of geography, specialist in the history and biogeography of southeastern Missouri and the eastern Ozarks and author of Opening the Ozarks: a historical geography of Missouri’s Ste. Genevieve District, 1760-1830;
• Eric Sandvol, MU assistant professor of geology and member of the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission, has worked in earthquake seismology for the past 10 years and conducted field research in many parts of Asia. His current research is focused on crustal and mantle earth structure in the Middle East.
• Mian Liu, MU professor of geology, has studied earthquakes in Northern China as part of the National Science Foundation’s Partnerships for International Research and Education Program to study intraplate earthquakes, like those at New Madrid. He has published at least seven papers on the patterns and possible causes of this type of earthquake.
• Phillip Gould, senior professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at Washington University, and chair of the Missouri Seismic Safety Commission, will answer the question of whether Missouri is prepared should it happen again.
• Cheryl Black, MU associate professor of theatre, will direct the reader’s theatre.

For more information, contact Christine Montgomery at montgomeryc@missouri.edu or by calling 573-814-9134.

Free parking is available in campus garages on Saturday.
MU Campus Parking Map