20,000 Acres of Water

Countless Lake County, Tiptonville, and Reelfoot Lake postcards have been published, many of which feature the cypress trees that the area is known for. This one, postmarked 1949, includes a description on the back:

“Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, a state park of 20,000 acres of water and uncounted miles of shore line, was once the hunting ground of the Chicasaw Indians. The lake was formed by a series of earthquakes in 1811 and 1812. Known as the “Fisherman’s Paradise”, it is equally attractive for hunting, boating, and swimming. It is patronized by sportsmen and vacationists from every state of the Union.”

As was the norm with these old Curt Teich postcards, the image began as a black-and-white photo that was then “colorized”. This one got a treatment of particularly brilliant greens!