The History and Science of Earthquakes in South Carolina, 1698–2025

A comprehensive account of South Carolina earthquakes from colonial settlement to the present

The largest destructive earthquake to impact the eastern coast of the United States occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1886. In The History and Science of Earthquakes in South Carolina, 1698–2025, Donald A. Stevenson and Pradeep Talwani, two of the state's most experienced seismologists, trace seismic activity from the first recorded trembling in 1698 to the 1886 earthquake and its considerable aftershock period, to the development of modern seismic monitoring. They draw on the best primary sources available from each period, from diary entries and newspapers to instrumental seismic data, and correct errors in previous earthquake catalogs. Stevenson and Talwani also explain the causes and types of South Carolina earthquakes and the research that has led to our modern understanding of them. Complete with more than forty figures and maps, this volume is an essential reference for understanding South Carolina seismicity.