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The aftermath of a fire caused by the 1886 Charleston earthquake, seen from near the intersection of King and Broad streets, photographed by William E. Wilson.
Photo courtesy of University of South Carolina South Caroliniana Library
As Charlestonians lay in their beds and the city bid goodnight to a sultry summer day, the ground shook mightily. Fewer than 60 seconds was all it took for the largest earthquake recorded in the Southeast to this day—and one of the largest ever in eastern North America—to rattle Charleston, damage the city and claim 60 lives…