Confusing state borders and the stories behind them

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Confusing state borders and the stories behind them

Have you ever wondered why some states have the borders they do? You would think that borders are determined by an organized, planned effort. But many times, they’re a result of unique and extenuating circumstances.

From geological anomalies to political disagreements, Spokeo explores the weird and less-understood boundaries of seven states across America.

Kentucky’s “Bubbleland”: A border caused by an earthquake

If you look closely at Kentucky’s southwestern border, you’ll notice an odd bubble that’s separate from the rest of the state. This isolated section of land was a result of the New Madrid Earthquakes between 1811 and 1812.

At the time, surveyors separated Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee using the Mississippi River as a natural state border. A series of strong earthquakes, many of them registering a magnitude 8.0 on the Richter scale, permanently altered the course of the river, creating a loop. This separated a portion of Kentucky from the rest of the state, and surveyors were forced to include it.

The Oklahoma panhandle: “No-man’s land”

In 1820, slavery was banned north of the line of the Missouri Compromise. Portions of land at and above this latitude were controlled by Texas, which joined the Union in 1845. Because it was a state with slavery, it was forced to give up any land that it controlled north of this latitude. As a result, it surrendered a uniform, rectangular piece of land just west of Oklahoma.

For years, this land was not legally controlled by any state, giving it the name of “no-man’s land.” In 1890, Oklahoma absorbed it under the Organic Act of 1890.

The Missouri Bootheel was a political power grab

In the southeast corner of Missouri, right near Kentucky’s “bubble,” lies a section of land that looks like it was sewn onto the rest of the state.

Back in 1820, Missouri was getting ready to become a state. Borders were drawn, and originally, the “Bootheel” was going to be included in the Arkansas Territory. This section of land was mostly controlled by a wealthy farmer who had a strong desire to be included in Missouri’s official boundaries. He lobbied extensively for this and, through a political power grab, was able to include his land in the rest of Missouri.

The four corners: Straightforward planning

The Four Corners region at the intersection of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah is an interesting place in America. It’s a popular tourist destination and the only place in the country where four states share a border.

Unlike other borders on this list, the four corners were a result of simple planning. The United States government was dividing up land in the West and simply drew lines. It used the 37th parallel north and the 32nd meridian to form a junction that is now known as the Four Corners.

Minnesota was a mapping mistake

Surveying and cartography were not always as accurate as they are now. This resulted in the “Minnesota Angle,” a small section of land north of the state that is bordered on three sides by Canada.

When borders were originally drawn, no one had an accurate map of the region. The U.S.-Canada border was believed to run through the most northwestern corner of the Lake of the Woods, just west of the Mississippi River. But the Mississippi actually terminated south of the lake, and when this was discovered, the U.S. and Canada decided to just run the border as written, leaving the awkward section that exists to this day.

Carter Lake, Iowa: An Iowa city stranded in Nebraska

Originally, the Mississippi River ran west of Carter Lake, marking the border between Iowa and Nebraska. In 1877, however, the river flooded and changed course to the eastern side of Carter Lake, leaving this section of land stranded from the rest of Iowa.

The United States Supreme Court ruled that the original border would persist. Today, around 3,800 people live in Carter Lake. To get to the rest of their own state, they either have to go through Nebraska or swim across the Mississippi.

The Delaware Wedge: Land no state wanted

For over a hundred years, a small, triangular tract of land sat unclaimed between Delaware and Pennsylvania. When borders were first drawn between these states, Delaware had a curved arc that started from the courthouse in New Castle and ended in the Delaware River just east of Claymont.

The Mason-Dixon line ran directly north and south just west of Delaware, abutting the southern border of Pennsylvania. This created a triangular gap between Delaware’s curved border and the rest of Pennsylvania. It wasn’t until 1921 that this unclaimed section was officially added to Delaware, resulting in a weird departure from the state’s curved northern border.

Borders tell a story

To the average person, borders might seem like they’re intentionally drawn by the government for a specific purpose. In actuality, borders are much more complicated. They can be a result of mistakes, boundary disputes, and even unpredictable weather.

If one thing is certain, it’s that borders are a historical reference point. They tell a story about a country’s past and how it has changed over the years. Who knows if they’ll look the same in another hundred years?

This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.