Geography By George: The Kentucky Bend
Good day Geogrophiles, I have a special treat for you today!
In the center of the eastern United States, a certain commonwealth shares the namesake of one of my favorite Thursday traditions. When I attend bluegrass night at the O's in Sunderland MA, I can't help but reminisce of one of my favorite border oddities right here within the confines of the lower forty-eight. Tucked just west of the extreme southwest corner of the bluegrass state between Missouri and Tennessee is the Kentucky Bend. More whimsically called "Bubbleland", this exclave was most likely created by the unpredictable path of the Mississippi River. But, there isn't a consensus on the exact cause of this curious piece of land.
One of my favorite explanations is that, when the cartographers mapped the Tennessee-Kentucky boundary, they set the line of latitude and agreed that the border would stop at the great river. When they finally reached the river, they came across an oxbow where the border crossed twice! They sure as hell weren't going to re-measure the border or change the path of the river, so this Kentucky exclave was born. I will let you speculate on other sources of this delightful gift from the surreal border gods.
-GG
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