It occurred at 9:50 p.m. on August 31, 1886, and lasted just under a minute. A young boy is pictured at the center of the photograph. We have examined this report to seek the factors that contributed to the observed damage. abstract Following the Modified Mercalli Intensity X 31 August 1886 earthquake, a privately published report described the damage sustained by each of the approximately 7,000 buildings in Charleston, South Carolina. Specifically, these pages report the effects of the earthquake around the state of south Carolina. Shop with confidence. Water from the craterlets spouted to heights of about 4.5 to 6 meters. Earth Quake Facts Of 1886 Charleston South Carolina By Myranda Reynells. Published by Walker, Evans & Cogswell (Charleston, S.C.), 1886. The most destructive earthquake in the southeastern U.S. occurred here. Following the Modified Mercalli Intensity X 31 August 1886 earthquake, a privately published report described the damage sustained by each of the approximately 7,000 buildings in Charleston, South Carolina. This quake was on the afternoon of January 1, 1913, at 1:28 p.m. near the town of Union in Union County with an estimated magnitude of 5.5 (Figure 1). It is one of the most powerful and damaging earthquakes to hit the East … At 7.3 magnitude, the Charleston earthquake of 1886 was the largest quake to ever hit the Eastern United States. South Carolina averages 10–15 earthquakes a year below magnitude 3. Although there was no Richter scale at the time (it would not be created until 1935), experts today believe that the earthquake in Charleston would fall between 6.6 and 7.3. Mrs. deCaraduec, living with her husband on Meeting Street in Charleston, recalled the terrible commotion. Twenty-seven years after the 1886 Charleston earthquake and subsequent after shocks, another strong earthquake occurred in South Carolina. Wiggins theorized that "Earthquakes are caused by the shifting of the earth's centre of gravity. Submitted by Teri. Sixty deaths were attributed to this major earthquake. The Charleston Earthquake of 1886 was the most damaging quake to hit the Southeastern United States. At the time, about 49.000 people lived in Charleston. Date: 1886 Description: Souvenir booklet containing photographs of the aftermath of the Charleston Earthquake of 1886, featuring the damage done to buildings. The 1886 Charleston earthquake took place around 9:50 pm local time on August 31 with an estimated moment magnitude between 6.9 and 7.3. The intraplate earthquake caused 60 deaths and between $5 million and $6 million in damage to 2,000 buildings in the Southeastern United States. Charleston was the scene of a 7.3 strength earthquake on August 31, 1886, the greatest quake to hit the east coast of the United States in historical times. This photograph features an image of the ruins left as a result of the 1886 earthquake on King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. Photographs by Heliotype Printing Co., Boston, Mass. After the Great Earthquake, 9:54 pm, August 31, 1886: Earthquake Views, Charleston, S.C. The quake caused 60 deaths and damage between five and six million dollars to just over 2,000 buildings in the Southeastern United States. Charleston Earthquake of 1886 Historical Background “The Charleston earthquake of 1886 devastated the city of Charleston, already suffering from economic decline, urban blight and a category 3 hurricane that damaged 90% of the homes in the city the previous year. On this day in 1886 – at about ten minutes shy of 10 p.m., a massive earthquake shook Charleston. Although the Roper Hospital building suffered severe earthquake damage, it was not razed until after the 1920's, despite engineers' and architects' contentions that the building was structurally unsafe after the earthquake of 1886. This photo was taken on Broad St. (Source: SCDNR) This photo was taken on Broad St. (Source: SCDNR) The Lowcountry’s history provides a strong reason to take the threat of an earthquake seriously. Estimated at a 7.3 magnitude (more powerful than the Haiti earthquake in 2010) the shock lasted about a minute. By any measure, the Charleston Earthquake of 1886 was severe. This view is given support by damage surveys from other earthquakes: 2001 Nisqually (Booth et al. More than a hundred buildings and many thousands of chimneys in the city were destroyed. The following pages are taken from A Descriptive Narrative of the Earthquake of August 31, 1886 by Carl McKinley for the Charleston City Year Book 1887.. Pictorial Summary of Damage 1886 Charleston Earthquake Slides Developed by Timothy Wayne Mays, Ph.D., P.E. ON the night of August thirty-first, 1886, the City of Charleston, S. C., was visited by the most disastrous earthquake recorded in the eastern portion of the United States. … Damage to 13 East Battery after the earthquake of 1886.Courtesy of The Charleston Museum . Distance from the Earth Quake. The Stockdell Report released detailed information about 8,000 damaged Charleston structures from the earthquake. Geologicle events( tsunami) Long-period effects were observed at distances exceeding 1,000 kilometers. The 1886 Charleston earthquake occurred about 9:50 p.m. August 31 with an estimated moment magnitude of 6.9-7.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). A magnitude of around 7 is estimated, which is a remarkable intensity anywhere, especially for the east coast. "Roper Hospital, Charleston, looking north." On August 31, 1886, Charleston and surrounding towns suffered extensive damage from the largest earthquake to ever hit the southeast. The report would help form the … Charleston, SC Earthquake - damage to the First Presbyterian Church. It is one of the most powerful and damaging earthquakes to hit the East … It is called the Charleston Earthquake of 1886, but the epicenter was in Summerville, which was rural and most damage was in Charleston. 2004), 2010/2011New Zealand (Giaretton et al. The 1886 earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks. The 1886 earthquake damaged or destroyed many buildings in downtown Charleston. After the Charleston Earthquake of 1886, Wiggins announced that a more powerful disaster would occur at 2 p.m. on September 29; believers in North America panicked, quit work, and dressed in "ascension robes and waited for the end of the world. The quake was felt by two out every three people living in the country! The 1886 Charleston earthquake occurred about 9:50 p.m. local time August 31 with an estimated moment magnitude of 6.9-7.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The photographs in this collection show the aftermath of the earthquake shortly after it occurred. Not only was this unusual, but the earthquake was devastatingly powerful, having a Moment Magnitude of 7.3, that's roughly the same strength as the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake that destroyed the city. The majority of the damage in South Carolina took place in Charleston because it was so populated at the time. South Carolina earthquakes occur with the greatest frequency along the central coastline of the state, in the Charleston area. It was just 134 years ago today, August 31, 1886, when a rare occurrence struck the East Coast of the United States, an Earthquake, with the epicenter at Charleston, South Carolina. The Church's experience in the earthquake. The epicenter of the largest earthquake ever recorded along the eastern United States seaboard was just outside of Charleston on August 31, 1886. Damage to buildings at 167-169 East Bay Street after the earthquake of 1886… At 9:50 p.m. on August 31, 1886, residents of the port city of Charleston, South Carolina were startled by an earthquake. We have examined this report to seek the factors that contributed to the observed damage. The most destructive earthquake ever recorded in the eastern United States occurred near Charleston at 9:51PM on August 31st, 1886. The reason for the enormous amount of damage to chimneys and the lesser destruction of buildings generally stems … But nowhere was it worse than Charleston. SEDIMENTS, SITE RESPONSE, AND BUILDING DAMAGE: 1886 CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA EARTHQUAKE A Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Civil Engineering by Cedric D. Fairbanks December 2006 Accepted by: Dr. Ronald D. Andrus, Committee Chair Dr. Nadim M. Aziz Dr. … The Earthquake of August 31, 1886 was felt from Maine to Florida; it did damage as far away as Chicago. The Citadel – Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Pictorial Summary of Damage • Stockton [1986] provides a historical summary of the earthquake’s impact on the city of Charleston. This earthquake killed at least 60 people and destroyed much of the city. About sixty people were killed. The following… The epicenter was 20 miles north of Charleston, but the quake was felt across the east coast north to Chicago and south to Miami. And at any moment, it could happen again. The effects of this earthquake could be felt hundreds of miles away. It resulted in the deaths of 60-100 people, caused millions of dollars in damages, and was so powerful that people as far away as Boston could feel it. 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