The Cypress trees of Reelfoot Lake turn a beautiful red orange in the fall. Reelfoot Lake was created by the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811-1812, a little known, little talked about earthquake but still the largest to hit the United States mainland. Reelfoot is also known as the lake made “the day the River ran backwards,” as the Mississippi River, disrupted by the shifting ground of the earthquake, flowed backwards into a low lying swampy area before reversing and flowing back out again. Today, Reelfoot is home to vast numbers of migratory birds and is a nesting area for bald eagles.
Tag: New Madrid Earthquakes
Sunday Slideshow–Lily pads of Reelfoot
Most of my art focuses on Reelfoot Lake in Northwest Tennessee, a unique lake formed by the New Madrid (Missouri) Earthquakes of 1811-1812. The New Madrid quakes are still the largest earthquakes to ever hit the United States mainland. For more on Reelfoot, go here and here. For more on the New Madrid earthquakes go here.