by Ron Friedel
Geosciences - UW-Milwaukee
May 19, 1997
In doing research on earthquakes felt in Milwaukee and in Wisconsin I noticed
some discrepancies in the various lists of earthquakes that have been published.
(Keener's list, USGS list and map, WSGNHS listing, Dames & Moore (?)
listing) In this paper I am attempting to compile a complete and accurate
list from various sources but especially from articles in local newspapers.
The main source of information is microfilms of two Milwaukee newspapers
available in the UW-Milwaukee's library. The newspaper stories are accounts
of felt effects of the earthquakes. The two newspapers are the Milwaukee
Sentinel, first published in 1837 and the Milwaukee Journal, first published
in the 1880's. Portions of the newspaper accounts of individual earthquakes
are printed in this report and my comments on some of the events are in
italics. Dates of some early earthquakes may not match those dates previously
published for the same event. I found in this study that previously published
dates of some events were actually the dates on which the article about
the quake first appeared in the newspaper. This is a continuing study.
Recent events are being added to the list as they occur. I also need to
look at newspapers from other places in the state of Wisconsin. In particular,
those from Platteville, Eau Claire, Superior, and Green Bay would give
a better geographic coverage. I also need to look at some newspaper from
a city in the center of State of Wisconsin. I have now found another source
of local earthquake information. The Milwaukee Public Library has a newspaper
index which was used to locate references to nearby earthquakes and earthquake
like events. This is an index of all articles written in the Milwaukee
Sentinel from its' founding in 1837 till 1890. I have found information
on a number of events that were previously otherwise unreported. Similar
newspaper indexes probably can be found in other libraries throughout the
state. As a long-term project, I will visit some of these other libraries
to find information on even more events. Therefore this list continues
to be incomplete.
Published listings of local and regional earthquakes that may have been
felt in Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Utilities Project, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Koshkonong Nuclear Plant, 1975. Amendments 3 & 7.
- Earthquake History of the United States, Coffman & von Hake, US Dept of Commerce, NOAA, 1973.
- Newspaper clippings - reproduced in text following table.
- United States Earthquakes, 1928-1935, US Dept of Commerce, Coast & Geodetic Survey, 1930.
- United States Earthquakes, 1936-1940, US Dept of Commerce, Coast & Geodetic Survey, 1938.
- United States Earthquakes, 1941-1945, US Dept of Commerce, Coast & Geodetic Survey, 1947.
- List of Earthquakes in Wisconsin, M.G. Mudrey, Jr., Wis. Geological & Natural History Survey, 1984.
- Earthquake Occurrence History for the Milwaukee Region, MMSD Inline Storage Facility, 1980(?).
- Tecumsah's Revenge
- Applications of Intensity-Epicentral Distance to Earthquakes Affecting Indiana, Varma & Blakely.
- Seismicity of the United States, 1568-1989 (Revised)
Notes:
a. Cryoseism
b. Sonic boom
c. Explosion
d. Meteorite
e. Thunder storm
f. Ice quake
g. Mine collapse
h. Other - see text
Click Here to see detailed reference notes and eyewitness accounts
Earthquakes and Earthquake-like Events That May Have Been Felt in Wisconsin
Date Time Place N. W. Felt Area Maximum Magnitude Dist. to Felt in Source(Notes) CST lat. long. sq. km. Intensity Wis.- Km Wis. 02/05/1663 16:30 St. Lawrence River, CAN 47.6 70.1 1,950,000 X 1300 x 2 01/08/1795 03:00 Kaskaskia, IL 38.0 90.0 11,700 500 1,2,8 08/20/1804 2010UTC Fort Dearborn, IL 42.0 87.8 78,000 VI 4.4Mfa 60 x 1,2,8,11 08/24/1804 2010UTC Chicago, IL IV 12/16/1811 0815UTC Northeast Arkansas 35.6 90.4 5,000,000 XI 7.2Mfa 770 x 1,2,8,9,11 12/16/1811 1415UTC Northeast Arkansas 35.6 90.4 X 7.0Mfa 770 x 9,11 01/23/1812 1500UTC New Madrid, MO 36.3 89.6 5,000,000 XI 7.1Mfa 690 x 1,2,8,9,11 02/07/1812 0945UTC New Madrid, MO 36.5 89.6 5,000,000 XII 7.4Mfa 670 x 1,2,8,9,11 07/05/1827 1130UTC New Harmony, IN 38.0 87.5 430,000 VI 4.8Mfa 500 11 08/07/1827 0430UTC New Albany, IN 38.0 88.0 V 4.8Mfa 500 2,8,10,11 08/07/1827 07UTC New Albany, IN 38.0 88.0 V 4.7Mfa 500 2,10,11 06/09/1838 1445UTC Southern Illinois 38.5 89.0 500,000 VII 5.2Mfa 450 8,9,11 01/05/1843 0245UTC Northeast Arkansas 35.5 90.5 1,500,000 VII 6.0Mfa 780 ? 2,9,11 02/17/1843 05UTC Northeast Arkansas 35.5 90.5 250,000 V 4.8Mfa 780 8,11 Jan ? 1844 ? Mukwonago,WI * 42.8 88.3 - x 3,(a?) 03/02/1847 am Green Bay, WI * 44.5 88.0 - x 3,(a?) 02/03/1850 10-11pm Two Rivers, WI * 44.1 87.6 - x 3,(a?) 10/08/1857 1000UTC Southern Illinois * 38.7 89.2 200,000 VII 4.9Mfa 420 9,11 10/05/1859 ? Little Chute, WI * 44.3 88.3 - x 3,(a?) --/--/1860 Central Minnesota 46.0 94.8 VI 180 1,2,11 08/17/1865 1500UTC Memphis, Tennessee 36.0 89.5 250,000 VII 5.0Mfa 720 9,11 08/31/1866 Milwaukee, WI * 43.0 87.9 IV - x 3,(e?) 04/24/1867 2022UTC Manhattan, KS * 39.2 96.3 500,000 VII 5.1Mfa 600 x 2,3,11 1865-1870 LeSueur, MN 44.4 93.8 IV 110 1 10/20/1870 11:25 St. Lawrence River, CAN *47.4 70.5 1,000,000 VIII-IX 1270 x 2,3 02/06/1872 08:00 Wenona, MI 43.5 83.8 local V 320 1,2 04/17/1874 Wrightsville, WI * 44.4 90.8 IV - x 3,(a?) 06/18/1875 1243UTC Western Ohio 40.2 84.0 100,000 VII 4.7Mfa 410 1,2,8,11 09/25/1876 0600UTC Wabash River Valley 38.5 87.8 150,000 VI 4.5Mfa 450 11 09/25/1876 0615UTC Wabash River Valley 38.5 87.8 150,000 VII 4.8Mfa 450 2,10,11 08/17/1877 10:50 Near Detroit, MI 42.3 83.3 200 IV-V 370 1,2 11/15/1877 1745UTC Eastern Nebraska * 41.0 97.0 450,000 VII 5.1Mfa 550 x 2,3,11 02/09/1882 14:00 Anna, OH 40.2 84.2 local V 400 1,2 09/27/1882 1020UTC Southern Illinois 39.0 89.5 100,000 VI 4.4Mfa 390 1,2,11 10/15/1882 00to05 Alton, IL 39.0 90.0 40,000 V 390 1,2 02/04/1883 05:00 Kalamazoo, MI 42.3 85.6 8,000 VI 180 1,8,(h) 09/19/1884 1914UTC Lima, OH 40.7 84.1 373,000 VI 4.8Mfa 370 x 1,2,11 06/25/1886 pm Eastern Wisconsin * - x 3,(d) 09/01/1886 0251UTC Charleston, SC * 32.9 80.0 2,000,000 X 6.7Mfa 1270 x 1,2,3,8,11 02/06/1887 2215UTC Vincennes, IN * 38.7 87.5 170,000 VI 4.6Mfa 420 x 2,3,10,11 08/02/1887 1836UTC Southern Illinois 37.2 88.5 450,000 VI 4.9Mfa 590 11 12/01/1887 am Lancaster, WI * 42.8 90.7 - x 3,(a or g) 07/27/1891 0228UTC Evansville, IN 37.9 87.5 22,000 VI 4.1Mfa 510 2,10,11 09/27/1891 0455UTC Mt. Vernon, IL 38.25 88.5 560,000 VII 5.2Mfa 470 9,11 10/31/1895 1108UTC Charleston, MO * 37.0 89.4 2,037,000 VIII 5.9Mfa 610 x 1,2,3,8,9,11 03/15/1896 Anna, OH 40.2 84.3 local IV 390 1 04/30/1899 0205UTC Near Vincennes, IN 38.5 87.4 179,000 VII 4.9Mfa 450 2,9,10,11 10/10/1899 7-8 pm Kenosha, WI * 42.6 87.8 III - x 3,7,(a?) 05/17/1901 0600UTC Near Portsmouth, OH 38.75 83.0 42,000 VI 4.2Mfa 580 1,2,11 01/24/1902 1048UTC Near St. Louis, MO 38.6 90.3 130,000 VI 4.5Mfa 430 11 02/09/1903 0021UTC Mississippi R. Valley 37.8 89.3 202,000 VII 4.9Mfa 520 11 11/04/1903 1818UTC Near Charleston, MO 36.5 89.5 168,000 VI 4.6Mfa 670 9,11 11/04/1903 1914UTC Near Charleston, MO 36.5 89.5 340,000 VII 5.1Mfa 670 11 03/13/1905 22:30 Menomonee, MI * 45.1 87.6 local V - x 1,3,7,8,(a?) 04/13/1905 10:30 Keokuk, IA 40.4 91.4 5,000 V 240 1,2 07/27/1905 0020UTC Calumet, MI * 47.24 88.45 40,000 VII 4.5Mfa 140 1,2,3,11,(g?) 08/22/1905 0508UTC Southern Illinois 37.2 89.3 375,000 VI 4.8Mfa 590 9,11 04/18/1906 night The Knobs, Iowa Co., WI* 42.3 90.0 - x 3,(h) 04/22/1906 Shorewood, WI * 43.1 87.9 III <10 x 3,7,(h) 04/24/1906 Milwaukee, WI * 43.0 87.9 III <10 x 3,7,(h) 04/26/1906 Quinnesec,MI * 45.8 88.0 VIII 190 x 3,(g) 05/08/1906 Columbus, IN 39.2 85.9 local IV 1 05/26/1906 1442UTC Houghton, MI * 47.1 88.64 2,000 VIII 4.2Mfa 280 x 1,2,3,8,11,(g) 01/10/1907 Marinette, WI 45.1 87.7 III 140 x 3,7,(f) 11/28/1907 Kent, IL 42.2 89.8 local IV 1 01/22/1909 21:00 Houghton, MI * 47.1 88.6 local V 280 ? 1,2,3,(g?) 05/26/1909 1442UTC Aurora, IL * 41.6 88.1 430,000 VII 5.1Mfa 70 x 1,2,3,7,8,11 07/19/1909 0434UTC Havana, IL 40.2 90.0 121,000 VII 4.8Mfa 1,2,8,9,11 08/16/1909 16:45 Southwestern Illinois 38.3 90.2 5.7? 350 2,8 09/27/1909 0945UTC Wabash River Valley 39.8 87.2 377,000 VII 5.1Mfa 1,2,8,9,11 10/23/1909 0710UTC Near Charleston, MO 37.0 89.5 125,000 V 4.5Mfa 11 07/29/1911 Chicago, IL 41.7 87.6 local IV 1 01/02/1912 1621UTC Northeastern Illinois * 41.5 88.5 150,000 VI 4.5Mfa 110 x 1,2,3,8,11 10/16/1913 Sterling, IL 41.7 89.7 local IV 1 10/07/1914 15:00 Madison, WI 43.1 89.4 IV 80 x 7,(a?) 05/31/1916 16:45 Madison, WI 43.1 89.3 II 70 x 7 04/09/1917 2052UTC Southern Illinois * 38.1 90.2 408,000 VII 5.1Mfa 370 x 2,3,8,9,11 09/03/1917 2130UTC Staples, MN 46.3 94.5 48,000 VI 4.3Mfa 1,2,11 02/22/1918 Lansing, MI 42.9 84.3 IV 181 8 03/14/1921 1215UTC Near Terre Haute, IN 39.5 87.5 89,000 VI 4.4Mfa 1,11 03/22/1922 2229UTC Southern Illinois 37.4 89.4 135,000 VII 4.8Mfa 11 03/23/1922 0222UTC Southern Illinois 37.4 89.4 175,000 VI 4.6Mfa 11 07/07/1922 am Fond du Lac, WI * 43.8 88.5 V 60 x 3,7 11/27/1922 0331UTC Near Eldorado, IL 37.8 88.5 130,000 VII 4.8Mfa 9,11 11/09/1923 22:00 Tallula, IL 40.0 90.0 400 V 1,2 02/28/1925 20:19 St. Lawrence River, CAN* 47.6 70.1 2,000,000 VIII 7.0? 900 x 2,3,8 03/26/1925 22:06 Lebanon, OH 39.5 84.0 V 1,2 04/27/1925 0405UTC Wabash River Valley 38.2 87.8 325,000 VI 4.8Mfa 11 11/05/1926 1653UTC Near Pomeroy, OH 39.1 82.1 1,000 VII 3.8Mfa 1,11,(a?) 02/17/1927 Mansfield, OH 40.7 82.5 IV 1 05/07/1927 0828UTC Northeastern Arkansas 35.8 90.4 100,000 VI 4.8Mfa 9,11 01/23/1928 03:19 Mt. Carroll, IL 42.0 90.0 400 IV 1,4,8 09/09/1928 15:00 Cleveland, OH 41.5 82.0 1,500 V 1,2,4 03/08/1929 04:06 Bellefontaine, OH 40.4 84.2 5,000 V 1,2,4 01/23/1930 21:45 Sault Ste. Marie, MI 46.4 84.3 local IV(?) 1,4,(a?) 05/28/1930 11:31 Hannibal, MO 39.7 91.3 local IV 1,4 06/26/1930 15:45 Anna, OH 40.5 84.0 local IV 1,4 08/08/1930 12:31 Hannibal, MO 39.6 91.4 local IV 1,4 09/30/1930 2040UTC Near Anna, OH 40.3 84.3 VII 4.2Mfa 1,2,4,11 01/05/1931 20:51 Elliston, IN 39.0 87.0 500 V 1,2,4 06/10/1931 02:30 Malinta, OH 41.6 84.0 V 1,4,(c) 08/09/1931 0619UTC Near Merriam, KS 39.1 94.7 1,000 VI 3.8Mfa 1,4,11 09/20/1931 2305UTC Anna, OH 40.429 84.270 90,000 VII 4.7Mfa 1,2,4,11 10/18/1931 15:12 Madison, WI 43.1 89.4 local III 80 x 1,4,7,8 12/17/1931 0336UTC Charleston, Mississippi 33.8 90.1 175,000 VI 4.6Mfa 9,11 12/06/1933 23:55 Stoughton, WI 42.9 89.2 460 IV 70 x 1,4,7,8,(a?) 11/12/1934 1445UTC Near Rock Island, IL 41.5 90.5 13,000 VI 4.0Mfa 1,2,4,11 01/05/1935 00:40 Davenport, IA 41.5 90.5 local III 1,4 02/26/1935 08:15 Burlington, IA 40.8 91.1 local III 1,4 10/11/1935 11:15 Negaunee, MI 46.5 87.6 local II 1,4 10/30/1935 22:30 Negaunee, MI 46.5 87.6 local II 1,4 11/01/1935 0604UTC Timiskaming, CAN * 46.87 79.05 2,590,000 VII 6.2Ms 500 x 1,2,3,4,8,11 03/02/1937 1448UTC Anna, OH * 40.488 84.273 280,000 VII 5.0Mfa 260 x 1,2,3,5,8,11 03/03/1937 03:50 Anna, OH 40.5 84.0 local V 1,2 03/09/1937 0545UTC Anna, OH * 40.470 84.280 390,000 VIII 5.4Mfa 260 x 1,2,3,5,8,11 02/12/1938 00:27 Near Porter, IN 41.6 87.2 V 1,5,8,10 11/07/1938 23:30 Dubuque, IA 42.5 90.7 II 150 x 7,(a?) 11/08/1938 01:15 Dubuque, IA 42.5 90.7 II 150 x 7,(a?) 11/08/1938 03:30 Dubuque, IA 42.5 90.7 II 150 x 7,(a?) 06/17/1939 21:20 Anna, OH 40.4 84.1 local IV 1,5 11/23/1939 1515UTC Griggs, IL * 38.180 90.137 440,000 V 4.6Mfa 350 x 1,3,5,8,11 11/24/1939 13:45 Davenport, IA 41.5 90.5 local III 1,5 06/15/1940 20:30 Nankin, OH 40.9 82.3 IV 1,5 03/01/1942 09:43 Kewanee, IL 41.2 89.8 IV 1,6,8 02/09/1943 17:21 Thunder Mt., WI 45.3 88.2 III 150 x 1,6,7,8,(a?) 09/05/1944 0439UTC Massena, NY * 44.958 74.723 1,095,000 VIII 5.8Mn 660 x 1,3,6,11 11/16/1944 13:35 Escanaba, MI 45.8 87.1 II 1,6,8,(c?) 05/18/1945 09:26 Escanaba, MI 45.8 87.1 II 1,6,8 05/06/1947 15:25 Milwaukee, WI * 43.0 87.9 3,000 V 10 x 1,2,3,7,8 08/09/1947 0247UTC Southern Michigan * 41.928 85.004 158,000 VI 4.6Mn 170 x 1,2,8,11 01/15/1948 11:40 Lake Mendota, WI 43.1 89.7 IV 3.8? 90 x 7,(f) 02/15/1950 Alexandria, MN 45.7 94.8 V-VI 1 01/07/1952 Bloomington, IL 40.5 88.5 IV 1 06/20/1952 0938UTC Near Zanesville, OH 39.640 82.023 13,000 VI 1,2 06/11/1953 Toledo, OH 41.6 83.6 local IV 4.0Mfa 1,11 01/05/1955 14:30 Calumet, MI * 47.2 88.5 IV 290 ? 1,2,3,(a or g) 01/05/1955 23:30 Portage Lake area, MI * 47.1 88.5 V 280 ? 1,2,3,(a or g) 01/27/1956 06:03 Anna, OH 40.2 84.2 V 1,2 03/13/1956 Lewiston, IL 40.5 90.2 IV 1 07/18/1956 15:15 Oostburg, WI * 43.6 87.8 IV 40 x 1,3,7,8 07/18/1956 16:28 Oostburg, WI * 43.6 87.8 IV 40 x 1,3,7 10/13/1956 08:30 So. Milwaukee, WI * 42.9 87.9 IV 20 x 1,3,7,8,(b?) 01/08/1957 10:00 Beaver Dam, WI 43.5 88.6 IV 50 x 7,(a?) 02/22/1961 03:45 Findlay, OH 41.2 83.4 local V 1,2 12/25/1961 06:20 Kansas-Missouri Border 39.1 94.6 11,000 V 1,2 02/02/1962 0643UTC New Madrid, MO 36.374 89.511 90,000 VI 4.3Mn 9,11 03/03/1963 1730UTC Near Poplar Bluff, MO 36.642 90.050 208,000 VI 4.8Mn 9,11 10/21/1965 0205UTC Eastern Missouri 37.479 90.944 420,000 VI 4.8Mn 400 ? 2,9,11 02/02/1967 Lansing, MI 42.7 84.6 IV 1,8 04/07/1967 23:41 Columbus, OH 39.6 82.5 4,000 V 4.2 1,2 10/31/1967 Port Huron, MI 43.0 82.5 10,000 IV 1 11/09/1968 1702UTC Southern Illinois * 37.911 88.373 1,473,000 VII 5.5Mn 350 x 1,2,3,8,9,11 01/01/1969 2336UTC Central Arkansas 34.991 92.688 62,000 VI 4.4Mn 9,11 11/17/1970 0214UTC Northeast Arkansas 35.856 89.947 92,000 VI 4.3Mn 9,11 09/15/1972 0522UTC Northern Illinois * 41.645 89.369 230,000 VI (V-WI) 4.5Mn 130 x 1,3,8,9,11 04/03/1974 2305UTC Southeast Illinois * 38.549 88.072 400,000 VI 4.7Mn 310 x 3,11 11/25/1974 40.3 87.4 2.4? 192 8 01/28/1975 11:13 Whitewater, WI * 42.8 88.7 40 x 3,(c) 03/01/1975 1313UTC Elmhurst, IL May-June 75 Wilton, WI 03/25/1976 0041UTC Northeast Arkansas 35.585 90.478 280,000 VI 4.9Mn 9,11 11/18/1977 1520UTC Elmhurst, IL 2.9 Recorded UWM 04/28/1978 17:06:27Rice Lake, WI Instrumental 09/16/1978 2200UTC Oostburg, WI 02/28/1979 12:05 Bill Cross Rapids, WI 45.2 89.8 Instrumental <1.0 MbLg 7 07/27/1980 1852UTC Northeast Kentucky * 38.193 83.891 667,000 VII 5.0Mn 400 x 3,11 01/09/1981 1515UTC Madison, WI 43.1 89.4 II 80 x 7,(a?) 03/13/1981 morning Madison, WI 43.1 89.4 II 70 x 7,(a?) 06/12/1981 1630UTC Oxford, WI 43.9 89.7 IV-V 110 x 3,7 06/25/1981 1358UTC Howard's Grove, WI 01/21/1982 0034UTC North-Central Arkansas 35.18 92.21 31,000 VI 4.7Mn 9,11 09/09/1985 2207UTC Northeastern Illinois 41.848 88.014 V 3.3Mn 12 01/31/1986 1647UTC Northeast Ohio * 41.650 81.162 322,000 VI 4.9Mn 360 x 3,11 07/12/1986 0820UTC Western Ohio 40.537 84.371 90,000 VI 4.6Mn 11 10/28/1986 Madison, WI 02/12/1987 1912UTC Milwaukee, WI * 42.9 87.8 IV 10 x 3,(b?) 02/12/1987 1916UTC Milwaukee, WI * 43.2 87.3 IV 30 x 3,(b?) 06/10/1987 2349UTC Near Olney,Illinois * 38.713 87.954 433,000 VI 5.2Mn 300 x 3,9,11 12/04/1987 1715UTC Milwaukee, WI * 3,(b?) 01/14/1988 1724UTC Upper Michigan 46.6 89.6 III 3.6mbLg 260 x (g) 02/25/1988 1600UT Dane Co., WI 3,(a?) 02/25/1988 2026UT Milwaukee Co., WI 3,(a?) 11/25/1988 2346UTC Saguenay, Quebec, Can. * 48.1 71.2 2,432,847* VII 5.9mb 880 x 03/30/1990 1644UT Franklin, WI 42.9 88.0 local III 10 x 3,(a?) 06/18/1990 2237UT W. Kenosha Co., WI * 42.6 88.2 160 III 40 x 3,(c?) 02/16/1993 1335UT Green Bay, WI * IV x 3,(a?) 04/06/1993 1720UT Oostburg, WI 04/06/1993 2335UT Oostburg, WI 01/31/1994 0539UTC New Berlin, WI 04/19/1996 0853UT Local - Recorded at UW-Milwaukee - Analog and digital 05/03/1996 2143UT Local - Recorded at UW-Milwaukee - Analog only 05/17/1996 1915UT Local - Recorded at UW-Milwaukee - Analog and digital
