Photographs from 1901 Southern Utah Earthquake

Beaver County Courthouse in Beaver, Utah. This photo was taken between 1890 and 1910 by Richard K.A. Kletting, architect. Notice the presence of chimneys.

Earthquake damage to this building is reported in the Deseret News on November 14, 1901: "In the earthquake at 9:30 last night, the Beaver county court house received a great deal of damage, the walls are cracked in about twenty-five places, and the roof is crushed in by the falling chimneys."

1901 Southern Utah earthquake; magnitude 6 1/2

Beaver County Courthouse in Beaver, Utah. This photo was taken in 1968 by Kent Fairbanks. Notice the absence of tall brick chimneys. Remodeling has taken place since the time of the Kletting photo (taken between 1890 and 1910).

Although the description on the National Register of Historic Places attributes the courthouse remodeling to a fire in the late 1800's, the changes apparent in these photographs seem to reflect mitigation of the damage reported in the Deseret News on November 14, 1901: "In the earthquake at 9:30 last night, the Beaver county court house received a great deal of damage, the walls are cracked in about twenty-five places, and the roof is crushed in by the falling chimneys."

1901 Southern Utah earthquake; magnitude 6 1/2

Close-up, taken in 1991, of one wall of the Beaver County Courthouse. Notice the crack beneath the window. The decorative elements are probably each one of a pair of "turnbuckles" on opposite walls connected by heavy wires in a retrofit effort to protect the building from further damage.

1901 Southern Utah earthquake; magnitude 6 1/2

University of Utah Seismograph Stations  «»   135 South 1460 East, Room 705 WBB Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0111  «»   Phone 801-581-6274  «»  Fax 801-585-5585 E-mail UUSS!