Hatchie River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hatchie River |
|
|---|---|
The Hatchie River at Rialto, Tennessee, on the boundary of Tipton and Lauderdale Counties.
|
|
| Country | United States |
| States | Tennessee and Mississippi |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Union County, Mississippi near Pleasant Ridge, MS 210 ft (64 m) |
| River mouth | Mississippi River near Randolph, TN |
| Length | 238 mi (383 km) |
The Hatchie River is a long river, about 238-mile-long (383 km). It flows through northern Mississippi and southwestern Tennessee. This river is very important for its geography, culture, and history. It is special because it is the only major river in West Tennessee that has never been dammed or straightened by people. This means it looks much like it did before European settlers arrived in the early 1800s.
Contents
The River's Journey
The Hatchie River starts in the northern part of Union County, Mississippi. It then flows through Tippah and Alcorn counties. After that, it crosses into Hardeman County, Tennessee, near a place called Pocahontas.
The river then makes a short turn into McNairy County, Tennessee. From there, the Hatchie flows north in a winding path. It then turns northwest toward Bolivar. At this point, the Hatchie is mostly a wide area of wetlands, about one mile (1.6 km) wide. Even though there is a main channel, the area around it is very marshy. Long ago, in the 1800s, small steamboats could supposedly travel up to Bolivar.
Flowing West to the Mississippi
From Bolivar, the Hatchie continues generally northwest. It crosses into Haywood County and the southwestern corner of Madison County. The river then enters the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge.
The rest of the river's path generally goes west. Near the end, it makes a curve to the north. This part of the river forms the border between Tipton County and Lauderdale County. Finally, the Hatchie River flows into the mighty Mississippi River. This happens just north of a sandbar called Hatchie Towhead and south of the Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge.
A Special Scenic River
The Hatchie River is officially called a "scenic river." This means it is protected under the Tennessee Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This law helps keep the river beautiful and natural for everyone to enjoy.
What's in a Name?
The name "Hatchie River" is a bit funny because it repeats itself. The word "hatchie" actually means "river" in the Choctaw language. So, "Hatchie River" basically means "River River"!
Other names for the Hatchie River include Arteguet River and Big Hatchie River.
