The New Madrid quake(s) were in 1812. You might be confusing it with the Charleston, SC quake of 1886. They both had very widespread effects due to the nature of east coast geology compared to the west coast as you note, though.
No - I was thinking of the 1812 events - so we are even MORE overdue for the next one than I thought! (I have no idea on what the “normal” cycle is for that area. Although I seem to recall that we might be close - it is on the order of hundreds of years and not thousands.
And a quick search comes up with “rang church bells in Boston and toppled chimneys in Canada” so I was wrong on that too I guess!?
Pretty difficult to prepare for something of that magnitude on a national level (retrofitting all the pipelines, bridges, tall buildings, etc.).
As a bit of a prepper type though - one CAN prepare individually for these disasters.