Historical Question about Kentucky's geography (Henderson, Fulton: earthquake, law, land)

[EricOldTime]

Maybe you guys can clear something up for me..

I know many of you are Kentucky "know-it-alls" and have read more about the states history than just about anybody. I want some clarification on something..

Everyone has heard of "Kentucky Bend" that in-accesible loop in the Mississippi river over on the TENN/KY line that's only accessible by entering through Tennessee and back into Kentucky.


I'm trying to remember what, and "where" I read it. I remembered reading that initially, the Kentucky/Tennessee state line was supposed to be some miles further to the south but due to mistakes in the original surveys the stateline ended up being some miles a bit further to the north? Is this true?

Also, I know that "Kentucky Bend" is seperated by the river and that it was an earthquake that cut it off, but if the original surveys would've held up in court, Ky's southern boundary would've been further to the south and thus, KY bend would've had connected access to the rest of Fulton County.

I read somewhere that the two states duked it out in the supreme court and originally didnt recognize the demarcation of their boundary but that the matter was settled by the supreme court sometime well after statehood....is this true also?

here's a map of the way I remember reading it.....can anyone clarify this? Ha anyone ever visited "Kentucky Bend" I believe they have a little tiny town there don't they?

[kygman]

Eric, I've always heard stories on this but found this site just now. Should help you out.
Welcome to Bubbleland: Life on a Strange Little Chunk of Kentucky | Mental Floss

I had thought it came about like our Ohio River border. If you drive from Henderson, Ky. across the Ohio River to Evansville, Indiana, the Ky./Ind. state line is about a mile north of the river. What I'd heard from several sources on that is, when the Kentucky border was set, the border was the northern shore of the Ohio River. Even though the river has slowly moved south by washing away the southern shore and silt and sand from on up the river is deposited on the northern side, the state line stayed where it was when Kentucky became a state in 1792. I have read that, by rights, part of Metropolis, Illinois could be considered part of Kentucky by the same method.

Didn't mean to meander the story, but that's kind of how I thought Kentucky Bend was formed.

[EricOldTime]

Originally Posted by kygman

Eric, I've always heard stories on this but found this site just now. Should help you out.
Welcome to Bubbleland: Life on a Strange Little Chunk of Kentucky | Mental Floss

I had thought it came about like our Ohio River border. If you drive from Henderson, Ky. across the Ohio River to Evansville, Indiana, the Ky./Ind. state line is about a mile north of the river. What I'd heard from several sources on that is, when the Kentucky border was set, the border was the northern shore of the Ohio River. Even though the river has slowly moved south by washing away the southern shore and silt and sand from on up the river is deposited on the northern side, the state line stayed where it was when Kentucky became a state in 1792. I have read that, by rights, part of Metropolis, Illinois could be considered part of Kentucky by the same method.

Didn't mean to meander the story, but that's kind of how I thought Kentucky Bend was formed.

Good read looks like...I'll check it out! Yes I've always heard it said that "Kentucky owns the river" and the state line was always the northern shore of the Ohio river. I've driven by that little chunk of Kentucky there on the Indiana side between Ky/Indiana but not in some years.

[censusdata]

It was formed during the huge New Madrid centered earthquake. The river changed course and added a loop. Law said KY owned all land N of 36 degrees and east of the Mississippi. The new loop added new land that was technically east of the river.

Most state boundaries involving rivers are "frozen" based on where the main channel once ran. Look at a Rand McNalley map of Mississippi. Lots of land belongs / doesn't belong to the state based on the current river placement. In KY you see this when you cross the Ohio River near Evansville IN but are still in KY until you cross a small creek that marks the old channel

[UKWildcat1981]

It is going to be freezing in the Commonwealth this weekend. Go UK.. GO CATS.. BEAT CAROLINA...BLEED BLUE.