1951 Map of New Madrid SE

About this map

Kentucky Point dominates this 1951 study of a distinctive geographic anomaly where the shifting Mississippi River creates a landlocked portion of Fulton County, Kentucky. This peninsula, nearly surrounded by the river's winding course, is characterized by low-lying bottomlands and small water bodies like Watson Lake. The map captures the intricate state boundaries between Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee as they follow the river's mid-channel and former oxbows. Navigation features such as the Madrid Bar and Toneys Towhead illustrate the river's dynamic nature, while a solitary Light and a survey marker at BM 298 provide fixed points for river pilots and engineers in an ever-changing landscape of silt and current.