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Reelfoot Lake

City: Tiptonville, TN
Region: West Tennessee
Subregion: Northwest

This, Tennessee's only large naturally formed lake, was created in 1811 by the New Madrid earthquakes. Throughout the area you will find colorful legends--Kalopin, or Reelfoot, a Chickasaw prince born with a deformed foot, captured a Choctaw princess for his wife against the wishes of the Great Spirit. It is said that when the Great Spirit stomped his foot in anger he created a giant crater into which rushed the backwaters of the Mississippi River, flooding the Chickasaw hunting grounds and destroying Kalopin's people.

The lake is 20 miles long and seven miles wide, and encompasses 14,000 acres. Today the area is a peaceful preserve and features year round hunting and fishing.

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