Over the past decade, paleoseismic studies have begun to unravel the earthquake history of the New Madrid seismic zone. Sand blows across the New Madrid region were found to have formed during earthquakes around these times: 1811-1812, 1450 A.D., 900 A.D, 300 A.D. and 2350 B.C.





This graph shows the earthquake chronology for the New Madrid seismic zone from dating and correlation of liquefaction features at sites extending along a NE-SW line across the region. Some sites show age estimates for more than one feature related to different events. Inferred timing of events is shown with colored bands.