Near Entiat in Chelan County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Earthquake Point

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 29, 2015

1. Earthquake Point Marker

Inscription. This site on Ribbon Cliff called Broken Mountain by the Indians experienced a violent earthquake in December, 1872. The shock split the mountain, forming the cliff to the west and causing a huge rock slide which stopped the flow of the Columbia River for several hours. The black ribbons of the cliff are lava filled fissures. Plateau lavas of the region later covered this rock mass.

The white volcanic ash in road excavation is so recent as to have buried undecayed logs. It was blown from Glacier Peak, a volcanic cone, 50 miles to the northwest.

Erected by Washington State Department of Transportation and Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. (Marker Number 26.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Landmarks • Native Americans • Notable Events • Notable Places. A significant historical month for this entry is December 1872.

Location. 47° 42.904′ N, 120° 13.35′ W. Marker is near Entiat, Washington, in Chelan County. Marker is on U.S. 97A, one mile north of North Lakeshore Drive, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located in a large pull-out on the west side of the highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Entiat WA 98822, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 1 other marker is within 13 miles

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

of this marker, measured as the crow flies. St. Andrews Episcopal Church (approx. 12.8 miles away).

More about this marker. This is a large, painted wooden "billboard-style" marker, mounted on heavy-duty wooden posts.

Also see . . . The 1872 North Cascades Earthquake. Moses Splawn, the Yakima pioneer who discovered gold in the Boise basin in 1861, came over the Wenatchee mountains on horseback when he was 85 years of age. This is the story he told of the earthquake: "When I got to Entiat I found the Indians were all excited. The mountain north of Entiat had slid down and damned the Columbia for a short time but there was something strange and wonderful which had occurred up the hogback east of the Columbia. I climbed the mountain with the Indians and there near the summit were two cracks in the earth. Deep down in the earth every five minutes there was an explosion like the shot of a cannon and out of the cracks in the earth a dark fluid was oozing which hardened as it ran down the mountain side and cooled. I took some of that dark material and had it analyzed and the analysis showed that it was oil." (Submitted on January 28, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Earthquake Point Marker (<i>wide view; Broken Mountain in background</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 29, 2015

2. Earthquake Point Marker (wide view; Broken Mountain in background)

Ribbon Cliff (<i>view from marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 29, 2015

3. Ribbon Cliff (view from marker)

Broken Mountain (<i>view from marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 29, 2015

4. Broken Mountain (view from marker)

Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on January 27, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,664 times since then and 277 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 27, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 28, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.