View source for 1865 Memphis earthquake

{{short description|Earthquake in North America}}
{{Infobox earthquake
|title = 1865 Memphis earthquake
|pre-1900 = yes
|local-date = {{Start-date|August 17, 1865}}
|timestamp = 1865-08-17 15:00
|anss-url = official18650817150000000
|image =
|caption = 
|map2 = {{Location map+ | Tennessee
|places =
{{Location map~|Tennessee|lat=35.12|long=-89.97|label=Memphis|position=|mark=Green pog.svg}}
{{Location map~|Tennessee|lat=36.0|long=-89.5|mark=Bullseye1.png|marksize=40}}
| relief = yes
| width = 250
| float = right
| caption = }}
|magnitude = 4.7 {{M|fa|link=y}}
|damage = 
|intensity = {{MMI|VII}}<ref name="Stover 1993 358">{{Harvnb|Stover|Coffman|1993|p= 358}}.</ref>
|PGA = 
|location = {{Coord|36.0|N|89.5|W|region:US|display=inline, title}}<ref name="Stover 1993 358">{{Harvnb|Stover|Coffman|1993|p= 358}}.</ref>
|countries affected = Tennessee <br> United States  
|casualties = 
}}

The '''1865 Memphis earthquake''' struck southwest [[Tennessee]] near the [[Mississippi River]] in the United States on August 17 that year. Soon after the {{M|fa|5.0|lin=y}} [[earthquake]] hit, observers said the earth appeared to undulate and waves formed in nearby rivers. The force of the earthquake felled and cracked chimneys in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] and [[New Madrid, Missouri]] on the other side of the Mississippi. Shaking from the earthquake spread as far as [[St. Louis, Missouri]]; [[Jackson, Mississippi]]; and [[Illinois]].<ref name="Stover 1993 358">{{Harvnb|Stover|Coffman|1993|p= 358}}.</ref> Apart from the [[1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes]], only three major events have struck the state of [[Tennessee]], in 1843, 1865, and [[1895 Charleston earthquake|1895]]. Several minor events have taken place as well.

== Background ==
[[File:Memphis skyline from the air.jpg|thumb|The skyline of Memphis.]]

The earliest earthquakes known to have struck Tennessee were the series known as the [[1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes|New Madrid earthquakes]], which rocked the [[Midwestern United States]] from their base in Missouri. Damage consisted of fallen chimneys on buildings. More significant were major geologic changes, including [[sand volcano]]es, [[Fracture (geology)|fissure]]s, and even sinking of land. Three major earthquake events occurred in Tennessee in 1843, 1865, and 1895. The 1843 event registered [[Mercalli intensity scale|Mercalli]] intensities of VIII (''Severe''); it resulted in cracking walls, shattering windows, and toppling chimneys. Felt over an area of {{convert|1000000|km2|sqmi|0|sp=us}}, the earthquake caused more alarm than damage in [[West Tennessee|Western Tennessee]].<ref name="Tennessee Earthquake History">{{cite web|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/tennessee/history.php |title=Tennessee Earthquake History |publisher=United States Geological Survey |date=October 26, 2009 |access-date=June 7, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117100824/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/tennessee/history.php |archive-date=January 17, 2010 }}</ref>

== Damage and intensity==
Shaking in 1865 felled chimneys in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], and the earth "appeared to undulate", creating small waves on rivers nearby. The earthquake was felt from [[Illinois]] throughout the lower Mississippi Valley from Illinois [[Mississippi]]. According to a 1993 paper by the [[United States Geological Survey]], this event had a magnitude of 5.0 and a [[Mercalli intensity scale|Mercalli intensity]] of VII (''Very strong''). This [[body wave magnitude]] was derived using either the felt area of the shock or an [[isoseismal map]].<ref name=Stover/> In a 2009 report, "Tennessee Earthquake History",<ref name="Tennessee Earthquake History"/> the USGS did not include the 1865 earthquake. It classified the 1843 temblor as having a greater [[Mercalli intensity scale|Mercalli intensity]] of VIII (''Severe''), compared to the 1865 event.

==See also==
*[[List of earthquakes in the United States]]
*[[List of historical earthquakes]]

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=Stover>
{{cite book
 |last1= Stover  |first1= C.W.
 |last2= Coffman |first2= J.L.
 |year= 1993
 |title= Seismicity of the United States, 1568–1989 (Revised)
 |series= U.S. Geological Survey professional paper 1527
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bY0KAQAAIAAJ
}}</ref>
}}

{{Earthquakes in the United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Memphis Earthquake}}
[[Category:Earthquakes in the United States]]
[[Category:Natural disasters in Tennessee]]
[[Category:1865 earthquakes]]
[[Category:1865 in Tennessee]]
[[Category:August 1865 events]]
[[Category:1865 natural disasters in the United States]]