1857 Fort Tejon Earthquake

Date: January 9, 1857 • Location: Shandon, United States

An earthquake registering 7.9 Mw ruptured part of the San Andreas Fault in central and southern California.

The 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake occurred at about 8:20 a.m. on January 9 in central and Southern California. One of the largest recorded earthquakes in the United States, with an estimated moment magnitude of 7.9, it ruptured the southern part of the San Andreas Fault for a length of about 225 miles, between Parkfield and Wrightwood.