1944 Cornwall-Massena earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1944 Cornwall-Massena earthquake occurred on Tuesday, September 5, 1944, at roughly 12:40am EST in Massena
, New York
. It was registered as a magnitude 5.8 on the Richter scale and was felt for a great distance. This area is part of the Saint Lawrence River Valley and the seismically active zone known as the Saint Lawrence rift system
. The earthquake is the second largest known in New York's recorded history.
, Quebec City
, Toronto
, and Boston
and caused roughly $2 million dollars in property damage. Several large aftershocks were felt in the general area, described as a low rumble followed by a loud bang.
In the village of Massena
, New York, approximately 90 percent of its chimneys were destroyed or damaged, along with heavy damage to masonry structures. It was also reported that cracks appeared in the ground around the town of Hogansburg, located 10 miles east of Massena. There were also reports of wells that dried up, and a crack in a deep alluvium north of Massena Center oozed water and sand.
Damage to the city of Cornwall, Ontario
, was heavier due to a denser population and its geological location; many structures' foundations were built on sand. Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School
received heavy damage from masonry work falling through the roof of the gymnasium.
In the city of Cornwall, the French Cemetery, Saint Columban's Cemetery and Woodlawn Cemetery were inspected and found that the headstones had turned counter-clockwise. In the town of Massena, Calvary Cemetery and Massena Center Cemetery were inspected and found the headstones had turned clockwise. Its epicenter was determined to have been located in the hamlet of Massena Center due to the greater damage of the hamlet itself and the severe rotation found in the cemetery. All chimneys received severe damage along with several reports of foundation damage.
smelting
plant located on the eastern end of the village.
Massena (town), New York
Massena is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town is on the northern border of the county and is nicknamed "The Gateway to the Fourth Coast". The population was 13,121 at the 2000 census. The town of Massena contains a village also called Massena...
, 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...
. It was registered as a magnitude 5.8 on the Richter scale and was felt for a great distance. This area is part of the Saint Lawrence River Valley and the seismically active zone known as the Saint Lawrence rift system
Saint Lawrence rift system
The Saint Lawrence rift system is a seismically active zone paralleling the Saint Lawrence River. The rift system trends northeast and southwest and forms a half-graben that links the Ottawa-Bonnechere and the Saguenay grabens. The rift system extends more than 1000 km along the Saint Lawrence...
. The earthquake is the second largest known in New York's recorded history.
Damage
The earthquake was felt as far away as New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and caused roughly $2 million dollars in property damage. Several large aftershocks were felt in the general area, described as a low rumble followed by a loud bang.
In the village of Massena
Massena (town), New York
Massena is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town is on the northern border of the county and is nicknamed "The Gateway to the Fourth Coast". The population was 13,121 at the 2000 census. The town of Massena contains a village also called Massena...
, New York, approximately 90 percent of its chimneys were destroyed or damaged, along with heavy damage to masonry structures. It was also reported that cracks appeared in the ground around the town of Hogansburg, located 10 miles east of Massena. There were also reports of wells that dried up, and a crack in a deep alluvium north of Massena Center oozed water and sand.
Damage to the city of Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St...
, was heavier due to a denser population and its geological location; many structures' foundations were built on sand. Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School
Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School
Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School is a high school located in Cornwall, Ontario. It was built in 1806 and is one of the oldest schools in Canada. The school's bicentennial in 2006 attracted over 1500 former students back to the school....
received heavy damage from masonry work falling through the roof of the gymnasium.
Epicenter
The epicenter was located in the vicinity of Massena Center, a small hamlet located 3.5 miles east of the village of Massena. Research was taken from inspecting the local graveyards which had seen damage done in the form of headstones rotating on their foundations.In the city of Cornwall, the French Cemetery, Saint Columban's Cemetery and Woodlawn Cemetery were inspected and found that the headstones had turned counter-clockwise. In the town of Massena, Calvary Cemetery and Massena Center Cemetery were inspected and found the headstones had turned clockwise. Its epicenter was determined to have been located in the hamlet of Massena Center due to the greater damage of the hamlet itself and the severe rotation found in the cemetery. All chimneys received severe damage along with several reports of foundation damage.
The WWII Scare
Many of the citizens of Massena who were awakened by the earthquake, evacuated their homes and scanned the skies for German planes, believing that the Germans were attacking the ALCOAAlcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
smelting
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
plant located on the eastern end of the village.