Why is part of kentucky in missouri

As you drive through southwestern Kentucky and cross into Tennessee, you may not realize that you can actually head northwest to enter Kentucky again. Known as the Kentucky Bend or the New Madrid Bend, this small peninsula is technically a part of the Bluegrass State, though it is almost completely surrounded by the Mississippi River with only a small land connection to Tennessee.

On the opposite bank of the river, Missouri land further separates the exclave by wrapping around it. The area was greatly affected by the New Madrid earthquakes in the early s - some of the strongest our country has seen - and the changes in the river at that time may have been a contributing factor.

Even the people who lived here were divided, and the area was known for intense disagreements and family feuds. These disagreements eventually subsided and the Kentucky Bend is now recognized as a part of Kentucky. Today, there are only a few residents left in this exclave, and they must travel at least 10 miles to reach any sort of gas station or store. West Virginia lies to the northeast, Virginia to the east, Tennessee to the south, Missouri to the west, Illinois to the northwest, and Indiana and Ohio to the north.

States of the United States Alabama. Georgia Alabama. Is there a part of Kentucky in Missouri? Category: travel north america travel. Kentucky Bend is a piece of land on the inside of an oxbow loop meander of the Mississippi River. Surrounded by the states of Tennessee and Missouri without touching any other part of Kentucky , it is an exclave of Kentucky. What US state is an exclave?

When was the last time the New Madrid Fault went off? Does Kentucky touch the Mississippi River? How did Kentucky become a state? Why is part of Kentucky north of the Ohio River? Why is Kentucky called the Bluegrass State? What state has the most neighboring states? Which US state has the most neighbors?

The epicenter of the powerful —12 New Madrid earthquakes was near this area, even causing the river to flow backwards in some places. Though the series of quakes did change the area geologically and affect the small number of inhabitants of the area at the time, the Kentucky Bend was formed because of a surveying error, not the New Madrid earthquake.

One of the major regions in Kentucky is the Bluegrass Region in central Kentucky, which houses two of its major cities, Louisville and Lexington. After Alaska, Kentucky has more navigable miles of water than any other state in the union. Kentucky is the only U. Though it has only three major natural lakes, Kentucky is home to many artificial lakes.

Kentucky has both the largest artificial lake east of the Mississippi in water volume Lake Cumberland and surface area Kentucky Lake. During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.

Google Maps. Wikimedia Commons. During the mid s, both Missouri and Tennessee originally fought over who should be able to claim this land that's entirely surrounded by the Mississippi River. But eventually The Volunteer State would let the land go to Kentucky, now known as one of our most unique areas of the state.

Another reason you'll hear people talking about this part of Kentucky?