This information was taken verbatim from the information panels at the Reelfoot State Park:
Born of a series of severe earthquakes that began in the bitter cold winter of 1811 - 1812, 5-mile-wide and 14-mile-long Realfoot Lake is now one of the most outstanding hunting and fishing preserves in the nation. Its vast array of plants and animals also has made it a mecca for wildflower lovers, nature photographers, birders, and other nature enthusiasts. The area is also rich in cultural history and colorful legends. Realfoot Lake is owned by the State of Tennessee and managed jointly by the Tennessee Department of Conservation, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This area harbors almost 300 species of birds including the magnificent golden and American Bald Eagles. Other species of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians also are abundant here. With over 50 different species of native fish, Reelfoot Lake is one of the largest and richest inland fisheries in the United States. Bald Cypress dominates the margins of the lake, but many other species of flowering and non-flowering plants are found throughout this 27,000 acre natural preserve.
History relates that some of the earthquakes that created Reelfoot Lake were so intense that "a man could not stand on his feet during them." They represented some of the worst quakes in U.S. history and many tremors were felt throughout the eastern states. Landslides swept down bluffs, large land masses were uplifted, and still larger ones sank to create a natural basin that soon filled with water.
It has been estimated that over a period of a few seconds the relatively soft ground rose and fell more than 16 feet during one of the quakes. Fortunately, few people inhabited this area in the early 1800's, so property damage and human fatalities were minimal. In this day and time, an earthquake of that magnitude would cause almost total destruction to manmade structures and a tremendous loss of life in the area of its greatest intensity. Geologists tell us that such a modern-day quake is not only possible, but probable since the New Madrid fault system (along which the quakes of the early 1800's occurred) is still active in this area.
The Chickasaw Indians, who once laid claim to these lands, believed that Reelfoot Lake was created as a result of the "Wrath of their Gods." According to legend, Reelfoot, a Chickasaw Chieftain, during one of his sojourns in the lands to the south met and fell madly in love with Laughing Eyes, princess of the Choctaws. The Chieftain had a deformed foot, causing him to "reel" when he walked, and because of this, he was refused her hand in marriage. Later, Reelfoot and his braves returned, kidnapped the maiden, and brought her home to their land amid the cypress near the "Father of Waters" (the Mississippi River). While celebrating the success of their venture, legend says that the steady beat of their tom-toms was taken up by the angre Gods and the earth opened up and swallowed the whole tribe. Their bones still lie there today, beneath a watery grave.
The ownership of this prized piece of Tennessee real estate was disputed for many years. In fact, it was not until 1914 that the State of Tennessee finally gained control of the area. In 1925, the state was authorized to purchase a wide but broken band of property around the lake for park and game and fish management. Actual park development of several sections of Reelfoot Lake began in earnest in 1934, during the Depression years. Due to wars and budget restrictions, the project was almost totally abandoned by the state until the mid 1950's when the area became an official part of the State Parks System. In 1973, the area also was designated by the Tennessee General Assembly as an official State Natural Area. An additional 164 acres of the Reelfoot site has been operated as a resort park by the Parks and Recreation Division since the early 1970's.
Created 06/09/01.
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