What’s Shakin’ in Memphis?

The New Madrid Seismic Zone Up Close

• Saturday Noon – 8:00 pm
• Led by Patrick McQuillan
• You’ll need your own vehicle or arrange to carpool with someone.
• A Sign-up sheet will be at the Registration table when you check in for the conference.

Description

There is a whole lot of shakin’ going on in Memphis and it is not just from Elvis.

The New Madrid Seismic Zone is a major seismic zone and a prolific source of intraplate earthquakes (earthquakes within a tectonic plate). The New Madrid Seismic Zone stretches 150 miles from Cairo, Illinois, through New Madrid, Missouri, part of West Tennessee and into Marked Tree Arkansas. 

The New Madrid fault system was responsible for the largest earthquake in the Unites State in 1811-1812.  and has the potential to produce large earthquakes in the future.

Join us for a tour of earthquake sites along the New Madrid Seismic Zone along Route 55.

• We will head to the town of New Madrid, MO to visit the New Madrid Historical Museum
• See several buildings that have been retrofitted to withstand large earthquakes
• Observe the remains of sand blows, and see the spot where the Mississippi River flowed in reverse immediately after the 1811 earthquakes.
• We will travel on to Lambert’s Café in Sikeston, MO. Where we will find some fine eating and catch some of the famous “throwed rolls”.
• On the return trip we will stop by the Marston, MO Welcome Center which has an earthquake theme and exhibit developed by Patrick McQuillan during his time at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS).
• And, a quick trip over the Caruthersville Bridge and learn how it was built to address the earthquake threat.