Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Earthquake and Lost Community of Mineral

I wish I could say I felt the earthquake but I was in a Food Lion at the time. But, a few minutes afterward, the few shoppers and clerks were getting cell phone calls about it. When I got back home a few minutes later, my husband was outside checking around. He was up in his office when the quake shook the whole house for about 30 seconds. We found no damage.

I had just been reading about Mineral, Virginia where the quake was centered. It is one of those "Lost Communities of Virginia" (also the name of the book by Terri Fisher and Kirsten Sparenborg, a birthday present from my husband). Gold was discovered in Mineral about the time of the California Gold Rush and made the town. That led to other mining (sulphur, pyrite, iron, copper, etc.) and a railroad depot until that all died out. The trains just pass through now. What made the town come back somewhat was the nuclear plant built in the 70s and only 10 miles away. It was shut down today. Now, I guess Mineral has the distinction of being the center of the largest earthquake in Virginia. Our county of Giles used to have that distinction for a 5.8 quake back in 1897.

The book covers two lost communities, Eggleston and Newport, in my Giles County, Virginia. I wanted to read about them since I am running for public office, School Board, to represent the eastern district which comprises those two communities plus Pembroke. That's why I haven't posted too much. I am enjoying getting out and meeting the folks in these and other smaller communities in the mountains here.


13 comments:

  1. I was in Chapel Hill, NC today and felt the earthquake. It to me seemed like 4-5 seconds, thought it was one of the cats scratching a chair or something. I was on my knees painting.

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  2. Thanks for the plug about the book! Hope you're enjoying it. Good luck in your run for school board!

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  3. Randy--it's amazing the earthquake was felt so far away. It makes me wonder what would happen in a bigger one hit.

    Terri--I love your book. I live only a few miles from Eggleston so that was the first entry I read. I also read in the paper this morning that Giles County near Pearisburg still has the distinction of having the strongest earthquake, 5.9, in Virginia since this quake was 5.8.

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  4. One of my college roommates was from Pearisburg, but never told me about its fame. In Richmond we felt it for about 2.5 minutes! It wasn't really scary - i guess because we were not totally sure what it was until afterwards - but very interesting and weird. It seems so odd that all the really big damage is so far north in D.C. and near Baltimore.

    Good luck on your School Board. We need good people who can think!

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  5. Glad you had no damge from that earthquake, but I bet you wished you had felt it a little. That's what happens every time we have a freak earthquake here in Illinois...I always miss it! Or sleep right through it! Darn.
    Good luck running for office!

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  6. webb--hope the rain doesn't get you today. Glad you didn't get any damage in the earthquake

    letspainnature.com--I do wish I had felt it. I felt one in Costa Rica one time and it was exciting. Thanks for the encouragement.

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  7. Appalachian Lady! "...since I am running for public office, School Board;" Congratulations and good luck. Common sense,'no nonsense,' and sensitivity all required~~plus good old fashioned hard work! Hope this works out for you; our young people need sensible people
    'in their corner' without too much oversight or 'control freak' type hype. Just my 2 cents!

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  8. We didn't feel anything down here. Glad all is OK! The book sounds intriguing. I love reading about the history of the local area.

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  9. good luck running for office! and thank goodness your home was ok during the quake. I felt nothing here in Mass.

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  10. I thank you for the nice comment over at my place today. I felt the quake and silly me I thought it was just really windy. In my defense I was really focused on the work I was doing. Not much of a defense. You're also very brave for getting so close to a snake(poisonous or not)and running for office. All the very best to you! GO Hokies!

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  11. I wont be surprised about this, it's part of the nature and one of the effects of any calamities.

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  12. Just drove from Lafollet TN up through to Big Stone Gap Virginia and on up to Kentucky then home to WV. I thought of you down there in SW Virginia. We ate lunch at the Mutual drug store and cafeteria in Big Stone Gap
    nellie

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  13. Glad you had no damge from that earthquake, but I bet you wished you had felt it a little. That's what happens every time we have a freak earthquake here in Illinois...I always miss it! Or sleep right through it! Darn.
    Good luck running for office

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