2017 Map of Hatchie Coon

About this map

The Saint Francis Sunk Lands dominate this portion of Poinsett and Craighead Counties, where the Saint Francis River fragments into a complex network of wetlands and seasonal watercourses. This unique bottomland environment is punctuated by elevated "islands" such as Hatchie Coon Island, Turkey Island, and Middle Island, which provided habitable ground amidst the inundation. The settlement at Hatchie Coon sits at the southwestern edge of this swampy reach, while Elm Grove and Donnick represent small agricultural outposts on the higher margins. Extensive drainage efforts are visible through the engineered channels of Ditch Number 1, Ditch Number 2, and Ditch Number 59, illustrating the persistent 20th-century labor to reclaim the fertile Mississippi Alluvial Plain for cultivation.