Oregon
Earthquake History
A strong earthquake in Del Norte County,
California, on November 22, 1873,
caused chimney damage in many places
as far north as Port Orford, Oregon, and
east to Jacksonville, California.
The tremor was felt from Portland to
San Francisco and onboard ships at sea.
Chimneys were damaged (intensity VII)
in the Portland area from an
October 12, 1877, earthquake apparently centered
in the Cascade Mountains.
Another severe shock affected Portland on
February 3, 1892. Buildings
swayed, and terrified people rushed into
the street (VI). The earthquake was
felt strongly at Astoria and Salem;
the total area affected covered about 26,000
square kilometers. Some damage to
buildings at Umatilla (VI-VII) resulted
from a March 6, 1893, earthquake.
Details on this shock are lacking.
On April 2, 1896, three shocks in succession
awakened everyone in McMinnville (VI).
The main shock was felt at Portland and Salem.
A similar occurrence on April 19, 1906, awakened
people at Paisley (V). Three additional shocks followed
within 1 1/2 hours.
A strong earthquake on October 4, 1913, in
the Seven Devils Mountains of western Idaho
broke windows and dishes (V) in the area.
On May 18, 1915, a sharp local earthquake rattled dishes,
rocked chairs, and caused some fright (V)
at Portland; three shocks were reported.
Three shocks were felt at Fort Klamath (V)
on April 14, 1920. The center was probably
in the vicinity of Crater Lake. People
in a small area around Cascadia felt an
earthquake on February 25, 1921 (V).
A shock that was probably rather strong
in an unsettled region of southern Oregon
occurred on January 10, 1923.
Plaster fell at Alturas, California,
and the tremor
was felt strongly (V) at Lakeview, Oregon.
The felt area extended to Klamath Falls.
Another earthquake was felt widely
over a sparsely settled area in eastern
Oregon on April 8, 1927.
The center was apparently in eastern Baker
County; the maximum intensity (V)
was noticed at Halfway and Richland.
A damaging earthquake occurred at 11:08 PM
PST on July 15, 1936, near the State line between
Milton-Freewater, Oregon, and Walla Walla, Washington.
The
magnitude 5.75 shock affected an area of about
272,000 square kilometers in the two States and
adjacent Idaho.
Ground cracking was observed about 6.5 kilometers west
of Freewater, and there were marked changes in the
flow of well water (VII).
Many chimneys were damaged at the roof level in Freewater;
in addition, plaster was broken, and walls cracked.
Similar damage was reported from Umapine.
Total damage amounted to $100,000. There were numerous
aftershocks up to November 17;
more than 20 moderate shocks occurred during the night,
and stronger ones were felt (V) on July 18 and August 4
and 27.
A shock of intensity VI affected about 13,000 square
kilometers in the vicinity of Portland on
December 29, 1941.
A downtown display window was shattered, and
a few other windows were broken in other parts
of Portland. The earthquake was also felt
strongly at Hillsboro, Sherwood
(where many were frightened),
and Yamhill. The felt region extended into
Washington;
Vancouver and Woodland experienced minor
damage.
On April 13, a major earthquake (magnitude 7.0)
caused eight deaths and an estimated $25 million
damage at Olympia, Washington, and a broad
area around the capital city.
The depth of focus was estimated to be slightly
greater than normal, which, in part,
accounted for the large felt area - 388,000
square kilometers in the United States.
In Oregon, widespread damage was observed,
several injuries occurred at Astoria and
Portland. A maximum intensity of VIII
was experienced at Clatskanie and Rainier,
where many chimneys twisted and fell, and there
was considerable damage to brick and masonry.
Minor damage in the Portland area resulted from
a December 15, 1953, shock. There was one report
of a cracked chimney and slight damage to fireplace
tile (VI).
Additional reports of plaster cracking were
received from Portland and Roy, Oregon,
and Vancouver, Washington. The total felt area
covered about 7,700 square kilometers.
Similar damage occurred at Salem
on November 16, 1957, from an earthquake felt
over a land area of 11,600 square kilometers in
northwestern Oregon. The tremor frightened all
in the city (VI) and caused some cracked
plaster in West Salem.
On August 18, 1961, another earthquake caused minor
damage at Albany and Lebanon, south of the 1957 center.
The magnitude 4.5 shock was felt (VI) by all in the
two cities. Two house chimneys were toppled,
and plaster cracked. The felt region extended into
Cowlitz County, Washington; the total area
was about 18,000 square kilometers. Portland
experienced another moderately strong shock on
November 6, 1961.
Slight plaster cracking (VI) was the principal
damage reported. Also, part of a chimney fell,
and windows and lights broke. The
earthquake was felt over a large area
(about 23,000 square kilometers)
of northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington.
A series of earthquakes near the Oregon-California
border began on May 26, 1968, and continued
daily through June 11.
At Adel, old chimneys fell or were cracked,
and part of an old rock cellar wall fell (VI)
from a magnitude 4.7 tremor on June 3.
Some ground fissures were noted in
Bidwell Creek Canyon, near Fort Bidwell,
California.
The total felt area in the two States covered
18,000 square kilometers.
Numerous other shocks located in California,
Idaho, Nevada, Washington, and offshore
points affected places in Oregon.
The 1959 Hebgen Lake, Montana, earthquake
was also felt in the State;
slight damage was reported at Richland.
Abridged from
Earthquake Information Bulletin,
Volume 8, Number 3, May-June 1976,
by Carl A. von Hake.
Oregon
