High Country Earthquake History
*Article originally published December 17, 2014, updated Wednesday, August 28, 2024. Data researched and compiled by Kenneth Reece*
***Note – A series of frequent earthquakes were recorded in Alleghany County during 2020. Due to the overwhelming amount of COVID-19 news being published every day, the data for these events have not been added to this data page yet. That information will be updated coming up.***
Earthquakes. It's a term that most in the Appalachian Mountain region mainly associated with the west coast….that is until the emergence of social media. As with the history of tornadoes in the High Country earthquakes are more numerous than you may have thought, especially in the last several years.
Since 1980 there have been 39 earthquakes of at least a 1.0 magnitude within a 62 mile radius (100 kilometers) of Boone, according to data from the United States Geological Society (USGS). There have been 17 recorded quakes felt in the High Country since 2011 and 6 of those occurred in 2014 alone.
Here is a list of earthquakes and more in-depth information, graphics, and the history since 1970 can be found by clicking on the date link, or by scrolling further down the page.
Wednesday August 28, 2024 – Two earthquakes recorded near Sparta. More information at this link.
Sunday July 21, 2024 – 2.2 magnitude earthquake between Blowing Rock and Lenoir. More information at this link.
Saturday, July 13, 2024 – Another earthquake was recorded near Sparta in Alleghany County on Saturday, marking the fourth one in less than a month. More information at this link.
Wednesday June 19, 2024 – Another earthquake recorded near Sparta in Alleghany County. More information at this link.
Tuesday June 18, 2024 – Two earthquakes were recorded near Sparta in Alleghany County. More information at this link.
Saturday, January 28, 2023 – 1.8 magnitude near Fleetwood. More information at this link.
Monday, August 1, 2022 – 2.1 magnitude near Blowing Rock. More information at this link.
Monday, June 21, 2021 – Two earthquakes in Wilkes County, both near the Hayes community. 1.8 magnitude and 1.7 magnitude. More information at this link.
Sunday, September 20, 2020 3:10 pm – 2.1 quake, centered at 2.1 miles west southwest of Millers Creek and 22.5 miles east of Boone
Sunday August 9, 2020 8:07 am – 5.1 magnitude, centered 2.2 miles south-east of Sparta and 36.8 miles east north-east of Boone. *Note – There were a number of earthquakes measured in this area both before and after this event. Those details will be added here soon*
Sunday, March 15, 2020, 4:37 pm – 1.9 magnitude, centered 5.7 miles north north-west of Millers Creek and 21.9 miles east of Boone.
Saturday October 5, 2019 11:55 pm – 2.1 magnitude, centered 9.4 miles east south-east of Blowing Rock and 12.2 miles southeast of Boone.
Saturday November 10, 2018 10:33 pm – 2.0 magnitude, centered 0.2 miles east of Whaley and 14.2 miles west of Boone.
Wednesday July 11, 2018 1:20am – 1.9 magnitude, centered 1.1 miles west-northwest of Heaton and 16.4 miles west-southwest of Boone.
Monday July 9, 2018 3:03 am – 2.0 magnitude, centered 1.4 miles west-northwest of Heaton, 16.5 miles west of Boone, 18 miles southeast of Elizabethton, Tennessee.
Monday December 5, 2016 9:46pm – 2.1 magnitude, centered 9 miles north of Lenoir, 13 miles southeast of Boone
Saturday July 23, 2016 11:49pm – 2.4 magnitude, centered 3 miles southwest of Millers Creek, 21 miles east southeast of Boone.
Thursday July 21, 2016 5:01pm – 1.9 magnitude, centered 5 miles southwest of Newland, 21 miles southwest of Boone and 24 miles south southeast of Elizabethon, Tennessee.
Monday December 15, 2014 1:44am – 3.0 magnitude, centered 9 miles north of Lenoir, 14 miles southeast of Boone, 22 miles north northeast of Morganton.
Sunday December 14, 2014 9:27pm – 2.1 magnitude, centered 10 miles NNE of Lenoir, 14 miles SE of Boone, 23 miles NNW of Hickory and 24 miles NNE of Morganton.
Sunday August 24, 2014 7:16pm – 2.4 magnitude, centered 2 miles NE of Blowing Rock, 4 miles SSE of Boone, 18 miles NNW of Lenoir, 29 miles N of Morganton
Thursday June 12, 2014 1:28pm – 2.5 magnitude, centered 2 miles east of Blowing Rock, 6 miles SSE of Boone, 16 miles NNW of Lenoir.
Saturday May 3, 2014 1:57am – 2.3 magnitude, centered 3 miles SSE of Boone, 19 miles NNW of Lenoir, 30 miles north of Morganton.
Friday February 14, 2014 10:23pm – 4.1 magnitude, centered 9 miles WNW of Edgefield, South Carolina, 62 miles WSW of Columbia, South Carolina.
Sunday August 25, 2013 3:50pm – 2.9 magnitude, centered 2 miles NNE of Blowing Rock, 3 miles S of Boone 19 miles NNW of Lenoir, 29 miles N of Morganton.
Saturday November 10, 2012 12:08pm – 4.2 magnitude, centered near Whitesburg Kentucky.
Tuesday August 23, 2011 1:51pm – 5.8 magnitude, centered 38 miles northwest of Richmond, Va., about 84 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.
Maps of recorded earthquakes between January 1, 1980 – January 28, 2023.
Regional earthquakes
Sunday August 9, 2020 8:07 am – 5.1 magnitude, centered 2.2 miles south-east of Sparta and 36.8 miles east north-east of Boone.
Sunday March 15, 2020 4:37 pm – 1.9 magnitude, centered 5.7 miles north north-west of Millers Creek and 21.9 miles east of Boone.
Saturday October 5, 2019 11:55 pm – 2.1 magnitude, centered 9.4 miles east south-east of Blowing Rock and 12.2 miles southeast of Boone.
Saturday, November 10, 2018, 10:33 pm – 2.0 magnitude, centered 0.2 miles east of Whaley and 14.2 miles west of Boone.
Wednesday July 11, 2018 1:20am – 1.9 magnitude, centered 1.1 miles west-northwest of Heaton and 16.4 miles west-southwest of Boone.
Monday July 9, 2018 3:03 am – 2.0 magnitude, centered 1.4 miles west-northwest of Heaton, 16.5 miles west of Boone, 18 miles southeast of Elizabethton, Tennessee.
Monday December 5, 2016 9:46pm – 2.1 magnitude, centered 9 miles north of Lenoir, 13 miles southeast of Boone
Saturday July 23, 2016 11:49pm – 2.4 magnitude, centered 3 miles southwest of Millers Creek, 21 miles east southeast of Boone.
Thursday July 21, 2016 5:01pm – 1.9 magnitude, centered 5 miles southwest of Newland, 21 miles southwest of Boone and 24 miles south southeast of Elizabethon, Tennessee.
Monday December 15, 2014 1:44am – 3.0 magnitude, centered 9 miles north of Lenoir, 14 miles southeast of Boone, 22 miles north northeast of Morganton.
Social media reports began coming in almost the second the rumbling started. Comments from across the High Country and foothills all shared the sentiment of being surprised to be awaken by the rumbling. One comment from Upper Globe Valley said “one mile from Blowing Rock, felt like someone lifted the corner of the house up about a foot and dropped it!”
Map: USGS
Sunday December 14, 2014 9:27pm – 2.1 magnitude, centered 10 miles NNE of Lenoir, 14 miles SE of Boone, 23 miles NNW of Hickory and 24 miles NNE of Morganton.
Map: USGS
Sunday August 24, 2014 7:16pm – 2.4 magnitude, centered 2 miles NE of Blowing Rock, 4 miles SSE of Boone, 18 miles NNW of Lenoir, 29 miles N of Morganton.
At the time Brad Panovich of NBC Charlotte noted that this was the 3rd earthquake near Tweetsie Railroad since May. It was not until the next morning that USGS officially confirmed the quake.
Thursday June 12, 2014 1:28pm – 2.5 magnitude, centered 2 miles east of Blowing Rock, 6 miles SSE of Boone, 16 miles NNW of Lenoir.
Reports into the Watauga Roads social media outlets began just seconds after the event, but there were no reports of damage.
WCNC TV/NBC Charlotte report with Brad Panovich and Kenneth Reece – June 12, 2014
Saturday May 3, 2014 1:57am – 2.3 magnitude, centered 3 miles SSE of Boone, 19 miles NNW of Lenoir, 30 miles north of Morganton.
At the time comments into the Watauga Roads facebook page first came in just after 2am reporting the shaking and rumbling sound. No damage was reported.
Sunday August 25, 2013 3:50pm – 2.9 magnitude, centered 2 miles NNE of Blowing Rock, 3 miles S of Boone 19 miles NNW of Lenoir, 29 miles N of Morganton.
Map: USGS
Google map of the epicenter of the quake
Friday February 14, 2014 10:23pm – 4.1 magnitude, centered 9 miles WNW of Edgefield, South Carolina, 62 miles WSW of Columbia, South Carolina.
At the time reports from Blowing Rock, Boone, Vilas, and Fleetwood came into the WataugaRoads.com social media outlets about the feeling the quake locally.
Graphics: USGS
Saturday November 10, 2012 12:08pm – 4.2 magnitude, centered 8miles W of Whitesburg, Kentucky; 46 miles NNW of Kingsport, Tennessee; 55 miles NE of Middlesboro, Kentucky; 57 miles NW of Bristol, Tennessee; 111 miles SW of Charleston, West Virginia.
At the time many residents in the immediate area reported feeling a possible earthquake lasting 3 to 4 seconds.
Tuesday August 23, 2011 1:51pm – 5.8 magnitude, centered 38 miles northwest of Richmond, Virginia; 84 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.
At the time there were 10 earthquakes (including aftershocks) in Virginia from that Tuesday through Saturday. Only one of which was felt in the High Country on that Tuesday. The effects were felt as far north as Rhode Island and New York City.
Recorded Earthquakes prior to 2011 with a minimum magnitude of 1.0
Between January 1, 1970 – December 31, 1979
Between January 1, 1980 – December 31, 1989
Zoomed in locations for Ashe and Watauga
Between January 1, 1990 – December 31, 1999. *None in the High Country during that time period.*
Between January 1, 2000 – December 31, 2010
The largest quake since 1970 regionally occurred near the Virginia/North Carolina border on February 11, 1994 and measured 3.4. No other details about the event were available.
The second largest quake occurred February 16, 1988 in East Tennessee and measured 3.3.
Damaging Earthquakes Centered in Western North Carolina, according to the Western North Carolina Vitality Index
Wilkes County Earthquake – August 31, 1861. Magnitude 5.1. The epicenter of this earthquake was near Wilkesboro, where intense shaking caused bricks to fall from chimneys. The shock was felt from Washington, D.C., to Charleston, South Carolina, and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Skyland Earthquake – February 21, 1916. Magnitude 5.5. Damage occurred in Skyland, Waynesville, Tryon, and Forest City. Chimney tops were dislodged, and many windowpanes were broken. The quake was felt for over 200,000 square miles, including in the Carolinas, Alabama, Kentucky, and West Virginia. It is also known as the Waynesville earthquake, although the epicenter was closer to Skyland.
Mitchell County Earthquake – July 8, 1926. Magnitude 5.2. Centered in southern Mitchell County, this sharp local earthquake toppled one chimney and cracked several others. Other damage included cracked house foundations, dislodged foundations, broken water pipes, and fallen glassware from shelves. The area of significant damage was about 0.5 miles long and 900 feet wide, but it was felt over an area of about 40,000 square miles.