History of the Lake

Whether it is legend or lore, truth or tale, almost everyone from the area knows the history of Reelfoot Lake.

Facts are that the lake was formed in late 1811 through early 1812 by a series of great earthquakes, probably as large, or larger, than any known to North America.

The area at the time was mainly Cypress forest of which some are still standing. In fact, one can see many standing around the lake and even more are beneath its waters. The beauty can not be told, it must be seen.

Along with the earthquakes, the Mississippi River flowed backwards and filled the vast hole with water. Now there is fishing, hunting, boating, swimming, and more; nature at its best.

The Chickasaw Indians and the 19th Century legend are to be told by the locals. Come and hear all about it.

Celebrating 200 Years of Reelfoot Lake

1811/1812 -- 2011/2012

..."On the 16th of December, 1811, about two o'clock, a.m., we were visited by a violent shock of an earthquake," writes Eliza Bryan, a resident of the area at the time. The quakes continued, almost daily, until February 7, 1812, when the most violent of all occurred. In Eliza's words, "At first the Mississippi seemed to recede from its banks, and its waters gathering up like a mountain...then rising fifteen to twenty feet...and expanding, as it were, at the same moment, the banks were overflowed with the retrograde current, rapid as a torrent...the river falling immediately, as rapid as it had risen...and lately it has been discovered that a lake was formed on the opposite side of the Mississippi, in the Indian country."1

This is how Reelfoot Lake was formed, a natural phenomenon, a cypress forest covered with water from the mighty Mississippi River when it flowed backwards for a time.

The complete eyewitness account by Eliza Bryan can be found on the New Madrid Earthquake website.

1 From "Lorenzo Dow's Journal," Published by Joshua Martin, Printed by John B. Wolff, 1849