San Andreas Fault Parkfield, CA
Posted by: 
fresgo
N 35° 54.023 W 120° 25.967
10S E 731692 N 3975944
Parkfield-Coalinga Road in Parkfield, CA.
Waymark Code: WMD6N1
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 11/27/2011
Views: 23
This plaque was placed by the De La Guerra Y Pacheco 1.5 Chapter September 24, 1995, documenting the movement along the San Andreas Fault Line since the modern revival of the E Clampus Vitus in 1931. To give the impression that it suffered damage in an earthquake, the marker consists of two granite slabs roughly 12 feet apart.
Left Plaque Reads: THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT This rift extends from El Centro on the south, 650 northwesternly the length of California to Point Arenas, where it continues seaward. The mist publicized of California's geologic faults, it is the source of dozens of quakes annually. Of the three "monster quakes" recorded in the state (1857- Southern California, 1872- Owens Valley, 1906- San Francisco) two have been along this "transform fault". A surface manifestation of the tectonic forces present as the Pacific plate collides with the North American continental plate, these forces have moved the Pacific plate, 300 miles northward in the past 30 million years.
Right Plaque Reads: "The 12.4-foot separation between the two portions of this monument represents the fault movement that has occurred since the modern revival of the ancient order of E Clampus Vitus at the Cliff House, San Francisco, in 1931. At this rate of movement Los Angeles will slip past San Francisco in approximately 31.5 million years and Parkfield will then be a seaside community."Erected by De la Guerra y Pacheco Chapter 1.5 Ancient and Honorable Order E CLAMPUS VITUS in the 6000th year of our Ancient Order September 24, 1995
The location is in Parkfield, California which bills itself as "The Earthquake Capital of the World". The area has experienced its fair share of shaking. The last major earthquake, 6.0 on the righter scale, occurred on September 28 2004. A United State Geological Survey station is located in the town and conducts studies on an ongoing basis - a few miles away the National Science Foundation operates the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth. The SAFOD placed recording and other scientific equipment at a depth of 1.5 miles underground within the fault.