"Mr. Browning has a prediction/we've all been told." -- "New Madrid," Uncle Tupelo It was supposed to happen on or around Dec. 3, 1990: A massive earthquake along the New Madrid Seismic Zone would ...

MISSOURI — Two small earthquakes rattled portions of southeast Missouri early Friday morning, occurring just minutes apart in one of the most historically significant seismic zones in North America.

The first earthquake struck while the town was still asleep. Around 2:00 am on Dec. 16, 1811, New Madrid—a small frontier settlement of 400 people on land now located in Missouri—was jolted awake.