On March 5, 1916, a 4.5 on the Richter Scale earthquake struck Georgia with the epicenter 30 miles southeast of Atlanta. The center was in the Snapping Shoals area along the South River in extreme eastern Henry County. The quake was in the fault zone that the South River rides.
This was the largest earthquake in Georgia until the April 29, 2003 earthquake in northwest Georgia at Menlo that registered 4.9 on the Richter Scale.
The 1916 earthquake was felt over several thousand square miles. It was felt as far away as Cherokee County, North Carolina, by people in Raleigh, N.C. and in parts of Alabama and Tennessee. This earthquake had to be shallow in depth to be felt across such a wide area. There is no record of injuries from the quake.
If you know any family stories about this quake feel free to let us know at the CRG email at admin@crghenry.org
References:
1. USGS, 2009.
2. Georgia History, 2009.
