Remembering the Mysterious Clintonville Booms One Year Later
By: Jenn Sullivan
Updated: March 20, 2013
GREEN BAY (WFRV)--"I thought my backyard exploded," said Clintonville resident, Pat Pingel.
It's been one year since Clintonville was plagued by mysterious booms. For days the thunder-like sounds and tremors taunted residents and baffled scientists.
Linda Deal, also a Clintonville resident, said "They thought the world was ending."
"My maternity picture and wedding picture came off the wall. It was a mystery," said Jana Nantelle, a Clintonville resident.
It turned out to be a 1.5 magnitude Earthquake. But until geologists determined that, rumors of what caused the tremors swirled around town.
"There had to be some kind of conspiracy theories. There's underground tunnels with Walker Ford as old as it is." Said Nantelle.
Then the rumors spread it was fracking-or worse-extra terrestrial activity. That gained Clintonville world-wide media attention.
Clintonville Mayor, Judith Magee, said "The town was very busy, awful lot of camera crews on Main Street."
To commemorate the booms the city made these t-shirts "I survived the 1.5."
According to Magee, they sold about 1,000.
Looking back a year later, some good came out of the whole experience--it brought the community closer together.
Pingel said, "Every time they started we had a community block party out on the front lawn, everybody talking."
Clintonville City Administrator, Lisa Kuss said, "Once we knew what it was it was a great experience for the community to come together."
