1940 New Hampshire earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1940 New Hampshire earthquake struck on December 20, 1940, with a force of Richter scale magnitude 5.5. The greatest earthquake
recorded to hit the state, it hit central New Hampshire
with a maximum VII intensity and was followed by a similar-sized earthquake four days later.
Damage from the earthquake left minor fractures or knocked over chimneys, in a zone extending through New Hampshire and four other states: Maine
, New York
, Vermont
and Massachusetts
.
fault zone. The extent of the earthquake is not firm, at least in the state, as the population was composed largely of colonial settlers who had left the east coast. The 1663 earthquake felled chimneys, oscillated houses, and threw pewter
from shelves in the Massachusetts Bay
area.
and Quebec
in Canada
, and included Maine, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, northeastern Delaware
, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island
. The epicenter
was next to the Ossipee Mountains
, near the town of Ossipee, New Hampshire
. These mountains are the remains of an ancient volcanic ring dike
. A similar ring dike can be seen in southern New Hampshire at Pawtuckaway State Park
.
roughly 12 inches (30 cm). The earthquake additionally shifted objects as heavy as stoves. Aftershocks of the earthquake occurred over the next several months.
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
recorded to hit the state, it hit central New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
with a maximum VII intensity and was followed by a similar-sized earthquake four days later.
Damage from the earthquake left minor fractures or knocked over chimneys, in a zone extending through New Hampshire and four other states: Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
History
While not known for earthquakes, New Hampshire has been dotted with both major and minor events. The first recorded earthquake to strike the state was in February 1663, originating in the Saint Lawrence RiverSaint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
fault zone. The extent of the earthquake is not firm, at least in the state, as the population was composed largely of colonial settlers who had left the east coast. The 1663 earthquake felled chimneys, oscillated houses, and threw pewter
Pewter
Pewter is a malleable metal alloy, traditionally 85–99% tin, with the remainder consisting of copper, antimony, bismuth and lead. Copper and antimony act as hardeners while lead is common in the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. It has a low melting point, around 170–230 °C ,...
from shelves in the Massachusetts Bay
Massachusetts Bay
The Massachusetts Bay, also called Mass Bay, is one of the largest bays of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the distinctive shape of the coastline of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Its waters extend 65 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Massachusetts Bay includes the Boston Harbor, Dorchester Bay,...
area.
Geography
Reports of the 1940 earthquake extended as far north as MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and included Maine, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, northeastern Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Massachusetts, Vermont and Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
was next to the Ossipee Mountains
Ossipee Mountains
The Ossipee Mountains are located just south of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, United States. Mount Shaw, at , is the highest point in the range.-Geology and physiography:...
, near the town of Ossipee, New Hampshire
Ossipee, New Hampshire
Ossipee is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,345 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County...
. These mountains are the remains of an ancient volcanic ring dike
Ring dike
A ring dike or ring dyke in geology refers to an intrusive igneous body. Their chemistry, petrology and field appearance precisely match those of dikes or sill, but their concentric or radial geometric distribution around a centre of volcanic activity indicates their subvolcanic origins.-Notable...
. A similar ring dike can be seen in southern New Hampshire at Pawtuckaway State Park
Pawtuckaway State Park
Pawtuckaway State Park is a preserve in New Hampshire, United States. It is one of the largest state parks in southeastern New Hampshire and is named for Pawtuckaway Lake and the Pawtuckaway Mountains...
.
Damage
With a Richter scale magnitude of 5.5 and a Mercalli intensity of VII, the earthquake spawned waves of minor damage around its epicenter. There were reports of fractured pipes, walls, and furniture, as well as "fallen plaster" near the epicenter. The number of chimneys damaged totaled 20, in addition to fallen ones. The earthquake caused damage to wells, turning the water brown and displayed strength by movement, causing five monuments to shift from their original position at a cemetery, and moving one old house in the village of WonalancetWonalancet, New Hampshire
Wonalancet is a village in the northwestern corner of the town of Tamworth in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. Many popular hiking trails into the Sandwich Range of the White Mountains have trailheads in the area, particularly in the locale known as Ferncroft, up a short spur road...
roughly 12 inches (30 cm). The earthquake additionally shifted objects as heavy as stoves. Aftershocks of the earthquake occurred over the next several months.