Incredible But True Events that The 1811 New Madrid Quake Caused

There has never been an American earthquake like it and let's hope there never will be. The 1811 New Madrid earthquake in Missouri caused events that seem too incredible to be true, but they are. These are just a few of the after effects of that disastrous earthquake and it's aftershocks.

Get our free mobile app

I found some wild eyewitness testimonies about what happened during that first New Madrid, Missouri quake on December 16, 1881. I've limited this to accounts from the most reputable sites. Many have been shared by the official New Madrid, Missouri website. I also found several shared by the USGS. Here are some of the most incredible events that have been attributed to that legendary quake.

1. The Earth opened up and swallowed people who went missing and were never found.

2. The earthquake caused lights to be shot into the sky when the ground crushed quartz crystals.

3. Animals reportedly started acting strange including flocks of ducks and geese that would land near people.

4. Two temporary waterfalls were created on the Mississippi where land ruptured.

5. John James Audubon was riding his horse when suddenly the animal stopped. A few seconds later the earthquake shook them both to the ground as the horse knew the quake was about to happen.

6. Reelfoot Lake was created by the earthquake and the water drowned all of the inhabitants of an Indian village located there.

7. The 1811 New Madrid quake created smog that darkened areas around the epicenter for days where even lamps would not provide enough light.

It's been documented many times that for a period of time, the Mississippi River ran backwards in some areas after the earthquake and church bells rang thousands of miles away. This historic quake has never known an equal and it's one of the reasons why we continue to pay attention to current New Madrid Fault activity. You never know when a life-altering event like this can ruin all of our days.