Brief Account of Damage in Pelham During the Earthquake of August 10, 1884

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Few may realize it, but only 13 miles from Pelham -- far beneath 125th Street in Manhattan -- lies the so-called "125th Street Fault Line."  While it is nothing like major fault lines such as the "San Andreas Fault" on the west coast of the United States, the 125th Street Fault Line is still a concern to experts who recognize that population growth (as well as urban and suburban development) in the region since the late 19th century have increased the risks of substantial damage from major earthquakes.

Pelham has experienced many earthquakes in historic times, a few of which have been large.  In fact, Pelham has experienced 35 earthquakes just since 1931, the majority of which have been so small that while they registered on seismographs, they were not even felt.  On August 10, 1884, however, everyone in Pelham and the surrounding region felt the large earthquake that rolled beneath the area.

I have written about that earthquake in Pelham (and others).  See, e.g.:  

Mon., Aug. 25, 2014:  Earthquake! Is Pelham on Shaky Ground?

Tue., Sep. 15, 2009:  An Earthquake in Pelham and Surrounding Areas on Sunday, August 10, 1884. 

Mon., Aug. 08, 2005:  The Day the Earth Shook in Pelham: July 11, 1872. 

Today's posting to the historic Pelham Blog provides an additional brief newspaper description of the 1884 earthquake and its damage in Pelham.  

On that lazy August afternoon, the ground began to roll and a thunderous sound could be heard.  One report said the noise sounded like a rumble and roar like an army of heavy wagons rumbling over a paved street.  Crockery and glassware rattled in Pelham homes.  The vibrations grew to become so great that it seemed in local drugstores as though the bottles would tumble from the shelves.

In some places, mothers ran into the open roads bearing their infants in their arms for protection.  Part of a chimney collapsed at a home on Fifth Avenue.  The chimney on the home of Mrs. James Parrish of Pelhamville, the home that still stands at 463 First Avenue known as the "Old Stone House," toppled over and damaged the roof of the home.

The following day, Monday, August 11, 1884, the region experienced a small aftershock.  That quake, thankfully, was not nearly as severe as the one the day before.  

Oddly, there was a place in the region that reportedly did not feel the shock of the main quake that Sunday.  The residents of Pelham's High Island off the northeastern tip of City Island reportedly felt nothing.  As the report quoted in full below noted, "The only place hereabouts that the shock was not felt was at High Island, where, it is said, the inhabitants are so secluded from the outside world, that they did not notice it; in fact knew absolutely nothing of it, until they read about it in Monday's papers."  

Painting of the Old Stone House Owned by the Parrish Family

Located at 463 First Avenue That Was Damaged During the

Earthquake on August 10, 1884.  NOTE:  Click on Image to

Enlarge.

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Below is the text of the brief article that forms the basis of today's posting.  It is followed by a citation and link to its source.  

"LOCAL NEWS. . . . 

The shock from the earthquake, last Sunday afternoon, was very severe in this village.  The swaying of houses and rattle of crockery and glassware startled the people from their houses in utter consternation.  In the various village drugstores, the vibrations were especially noticeable, and it seemed as though the bottles would tumble from the shelves.  In some streets, mothers ran out of doors bearing their infants in their arms.  Part of a chimney on one of Mr. Hillemeier's houses, Fifth avenue, was knocked down.  At Pelhamville, the chimney of Mrs. Parish's house, toppled over, and caused some damage to the roof.  The only place hereabouts that the shock was not felt was at High Island, where, it is said, the inhabitants are so secluded from the outside world, that they did not notice it; in fact knew absolutely nothing of it, until they read about it in Monday's papers. . . ."

Source:  LOCAL NEWS, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Aug. 15, 1884, Vol. XV, No. 778, p. 3, cols. 1-2.  

Learn More About Earthquakes in Pelham and Future Risks

Below are a number of links that will allow readers to learn more about earthquakes in Pelham and future risks.

Mon., Aug. 25, 2014:  Earthquake! Is Pelham on Shaky Ground?

Tue., Sep. 15, 2009:  An Earthquake in Pelham and Surrounding Areas on Sunday, August 10, 1884. 

Mon., Aug. 08, 2005:  The Day the Earth Shook in Pelham: July 11, 1872. 

Recent Earthquakes Near Pelham, New York (visited Jan. 29, 2017).  

Tantala, Michael, et al., Earthquake Risks and Mitigation in the New York / New Jersey / Connecticut Region (The New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation:  2003) (visited Jan. 29, 2017).

Nordenson, Guy, et al., Earthquake Loss Estimation for The New York City Area (The New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation:  May 1, 1999) (visited Jan. 29, 2017).

NYCEM:  The New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation (Apr. 30, 2013) (visited Jan. 29, 2017).

THE SUBURBS IN A FLURRY. HOUSES EMPTIED, DINNERS ABANDONED AND THE SUPERSTITIOUS FRIGHTENED, N.Y. Herald, Aug. 11, 1884, p. 3, col. 3.

United States Geologic Survey:  New York Earthquake History (Apr. 30, 2013).

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.

Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.

Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."