LITTLE ROCK — The fact that the area has been visited by a couple of small earthquakes has been an eye-opener for local residents. Perhaps an ear-opener would be a better way to describe the tremors since they seemed, or sounded, more like the thud that occurs when two cars collide; or the feeling and sound when someone in another room knocks over a bookcase; or more likely a sonic boom from a passing jet.

But seismographs seem to confirm that two small quakes really did occur several days ago.

What is interesting is that some scientists postulate they were caused by collapsing underground caves. And the possible depth of the collapses and their epicenters, somewhere south and east or north of Cave Springs/Centerton, is somewhat debated.

What is really a surprise is that they, the experts, all seem to agree that Benton County is crisscrossed by what are known as “faults”, a rock substructure condition that is a potential earthquake trigger.

The word“fault” is not new to me. I have heard since I was a boy that there are fault lines in this Ozark region.The stories I heard involve land located east of Sulphur Springs that my ancestors owned. Their farm was visited in the early 1900s by scientists who were studying fault lines in the region.

The land in question contains numerous caves, some of which were open for tours until the late twenties for summer visitors to Sulphur Springs when it was quite a health resort community. The land was owned by the Heckman family, pioneer residents in the Sulphur Springs area.

Even today, those caves on the land are referred to as Heckman caves. My mother, the late Maude Heckman Evans, as a young lady, conducted tours of the caves for the people who were transported by surrey to the farm.

She related to me a story about the men visiting that particular area who were mapping “fault” areas. They explained the entire region has a network of fault patterns. Although no one could then remember any earthquakes, she remembered the men said earthquakes were possible and were even probable some time in the future.

She could not remember where the men were from or who they represented but the details were always clear as to their findings.

Doubtlessly this area and most of these old, old Ozark hills, and of course the Ouachita area too, have numerous fault line conditions. These recent quakes here, and those we often hear about in Central Arkansas, would indicate quakes have probably occurred in the past and similar occurrences should not surprise us in the future.

Hopefully we are not prone to the subsoil structure that is prevalent in northeastern Arkansas (note New Madrid earthquakes of the 1800s), or the problem the west coast area continually faces.

But maybe, just maybe, it was time we were shaken up a little. Back to the reality that, in spite of all we know from the past, and all we may learn today and in the future. . . . . we really don’t know!

So for today and for tomorrows: “Happy Shaking!” -Dodie Evans

News, Pages 4 on 06/02/2010