1951 Map of Hubbard Lake

About this map

The Mississippi River creates a complex geographic puzzle here, where the river's winding course defines the borders of three states. The landscape is dominated by the Kentucky Bend, an exclave of Kentucky entirely surrounded by Missouri and Tennessee. This 1951 study illustrates the shifting hydrologic environment of the floodplain, where abandoned river channels have transformed into oxbow lakes and sloughs. Features like Stonewall Lake, Washpan Lake, and Lake No 9 mark these former paths of the river. Small settlements like Kentucky Point and Kentucky Bend sit near the water's edge, while a lonely Cem remains as a record of early residents in this low-lying river bottom. Surveyed by plane-table, the map captures the intricate relationship between political boundaries and the ever-changing riverbed.