April 19, 1892 Earthquake: Vacaville,winters, California, United States

Reference #1128:

1892. April 19. Vacaville. In Vacaville, nearly all brick structures were wrecked and many frame buildings were damaged. Chimneys were twisted or thrown down. In Dixon, damage was less serious but many structures, especially schoolhouses, were severely damaged. At Winters, damage was similar to that in Vacaville and loss was about the same. Damage at Vacaville, Dixon, and Winters was estimated at about $225,000. Damage occurred at numerous other places in Solano and Yolo Counties. One chimney toppled at Sacramento, and there was slight damage at San Francisco. Fissures were found in the bed of Putah Creek, 1/2 mile west of Winters, and in the adjoining roadway and fields; banks of the creek were caved in. Shock was felt from Healdsburg to Fresno and east to western Nevada.

1892. April 21. Winters. Although the total energy expended was probably less, the intensity was as great as that on April 19. The shock was most severe at Winters, about 12 miles north of Vacaville. Many buildings which withstood the previous shock were leveled to the ground. On Main Street, not a single building was left habitable. They were constructed mostly of brick or stone. At Esparto, every brick chimney fell and wooden buildings were wrenched out of shape. Additional damage at Vacaville and Dixon was not great. Many chimneys were wrecked at Sacramento, in addition to other light damage. Damage was reported in Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, Butte, Nevada, San Joaquin, and Yuba Counties. The shock was felt at least from Red Bluff to Fresno, and as far east as Reno, Nev.

Reference #1074:

1892 April 19-21. IX. The main shock on the 19th was strongest at Vacaville and Winters, where brick buildings were wrecked and intensity was IX. Water was ejected from the bed of Putah Creek, near Winters. Intensity of VIII was reached from the region of Suisun on the south to Woodland on the north; at Sacramento the intensity was VII. The ground was fissured along stream banks in the Winters section; at that point tombstones were turned around or shattered, and a press weighing a ton was overturned. At Dixon many of the finest residences were ruined and fire broke out. At Fairfield a church tower fell. The intensity at San Francisco was about VI, the unbraced walls of a building being demolished were tumbled down. The shock was felt as of about intensity III-IV as far south as Fresno. On April 21 a shock of less total energy but in its epicentral region as severe as the first, took place to the north of the origin of the first shock, and caused additional damage to the weakened structures in the damaged towns, and fresh damage to towns not so badly hit on the 19th. At Esparto every brick chimney fell and wooden buildings were wrenched out of shape ; intensity of IX seems indicated. The shock was very severe at Winters.