Most people probably don't even know that Missouri and Kentucky share a border.

That might be because that "border" is the most meaningless border in the nation.

It's the only border between any two states such that there isn't a single road allowing a person to drive from the main body of one state to the main body of the bordering state.

(note: touching at a single point isn't a border, so CO-AZ and UT-NM don't count)


The only way to do that is to swim across the Mississippi River!



Thank you for reading, and have a good day.

There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

(09-25-2015 12:36 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  Most people probably don't even know that Missouri and Kentucky share a border.

That might be because that "border" is the most meaningless border in the nation.

It's the only border between any two states such that there isn't a single road allowing a person to drive from the main body of one state to the main body of the bordering state.

(note: touching at a single point isn't a border, so CO-AZ and UT-NM don't count)


The only way to do that is to swim across the Mississippi River!



Thank you for reading, and have a good day.

Not surprising. There are portions of Kentucky that you can't get to from Kentucky.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Bend

Well, there is one small section of Kentucky that is 95% surrounded by Missouri, and the only way to get to it is through Tennessee.

(09-25-2015 12:48 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

They were looking at routing Interstate 66 that way instead of through Illinois. But the I-66 project died.

Missouri and Kentucky both have an interesting history in the sense that they are both "sorta" southern. Slave states that chose not to join the Confederacy.

Both have a hilly region (Appalachian/Ozarks), both have big rivers forming much of their borders.

they may not share a long border, but they, uh, oh well, who am I kidding.....

you are right, it is the most meaningless border between 2 states.

(09-25-2015 12:48 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

U.S. 62 must be the only road in the U.S. that crosses over both the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

Michigan and Minnesota share a border in the middle of Lake Superior.

(09-25-2015 01:17 PM)SeaBlue Wrote:  Michigan and Minnesota share a border in the middle of Lake Superior.

No more than Alaska and Hawaii share a border in the middle of the Pacific.

Big difference between a river and a great lake or ocean.

More importantly, this game is shaping up to be one gigantic SNOOZE FEST.

6-3 final.

I'm still at a loss for why the big 10 passed on Missouri, not sure they could get them now. Of course, the answer is the big 10 commish convinced the presidents to go after UVA and UNC, conflict interest with that move on his part not to mention unrealistic. Gordon Gee admitted later that such a plan by the big 10 was a mistake and the result is missouri is in the SEC, probably to stay in the sec.

(09-25-2015 01:00 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 12:48 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

U.S. 62 must be the only road in the U.S. that crosses over both the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

I-64 crosses the Ohio at Louisville and the Mississippi at St. Louis

I-70 crosses the Ohio at Wheeling WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis

US 50 crosses the Ohio at Parkersburg WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis.

US 52 crosses the Ohio at Huntington WV and the Mississippi at Savanna IL

... Yes I'm bored

(09-25-2015 01:49 PM)mufanatehc Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 01:00 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 12:48 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

U.S. 62 must be the only road in the U.S. that crosses over both the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

I-64 crosses the Ohio at Louisville and the Mississippi at St. Louis

I-70 crosses the Ohio at Wheeling WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis

US 50 crosses the Ohio at Parkersburg WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis.

US 52 crosses the Ohio at Huntington WV and the Mississippi at Savanna IL

... Yes I'm bored

Now I know who to call if I'm ever on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" and they ask me a question about midwestern geography.

(09-25-2015 01:49 PM)mufanatehc Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 01:00 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 12:48 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

U.S. 62 must be the only road in the U.S. that crosses over both the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

I-64 crosses the Ohio at Louisville and the Mississippi at St. Louis

I-70 crosses the Ohio at Wheeling WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis

US 50 crosses the Ohio at Parkersburg WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis.

US 52 crosses the Ohio at Huntington WV and the Mississippi at Savanna IL

... Yes I'm bored

I guess the better answer is its the only highway to cross the both rivers without traveling more than 2 miles.

Grandpa used to drive hogs and tobacco from Fancy Farm across the river to Missouri to sell.

(09-25-2015 02:53 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 01:49 PM)mufanatehc Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 01:00 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 12:48 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

U.S. 62 must be the only road in the U.S. that crosses over both the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

I-64 crosses the Ohio at Louisville and the Mississippi at St. Louis

I-70 crosses the Ohio at Wheeling WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis

US 50 crosses the Ohio at Parkersburg WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis.

US 52 crosses the Ohio at Huntington WV and the Mississippi at Savanna IL

... Yes I'm bored

Now I know who to call if I'm ever on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" and they ask me a question about midwestern geography.

Just for ish and giggles, not only is US 62 not the only to cross both, it is not even the only highway to cross both on that bridge. US 60, which is really the more major highway, runs concurrent to US 62 across both bridges, and thru a good portion of Missouri. Side note, I live on US 60 (in Louisville, KY).

Also I am pretty sure the roads were routed away from Missouri and thru Illinois, due to cost. There was already a highway going up thru Illinois from there (US 51, another major highway that goes from LA to Wisconsin), and the cost to build a second bridge across the Ohio from Illinois would be far cheaper, then building one directly across the Mississippi just below the confluence of the Ohio River.

It is less about being "meaningless" then being cheap or cost efficient, depending on which side of the coin you are on. The irony that the OP calls it meaningless because the bridge between the states goes through Illinois, then ignores the road is in Illinois for less than a mile, which is quite a bit more meaningless.

All of that said, the OP's line "it's the only border between any two states such that there isn't a single road allowing a person to drive from the main body of one state to the main body of the bordering state" is not really accurate. He will argue it is, but it is not. Because you can drive across US 62/US60 from Kentucky and get to Missouri, by going thru Illinois (the word "direct" was not listed). But more importantly, there is a couple of small parts of Kentucky that are west of the Mississippi, that have a few roads that go into Missouri. They are not highways, but they exist. Or, if we are using "main body" part of the state as a the descriptor, then Michigan/Wisconsin also fits the bill. since you cannot drive directly from the main body of each state to the other. But that's just boring trivia for a Friday.

Side note: whomever settled on drawing the borders between Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee was clearly drunk. It's like they were trying to draw a straight line down the middle of the Mississippi River, then get distracted and just let the pen wander.

The problem with river borders is that rivers don't behave and stay in the same place. Supposedly at one time (before humans walked upright) per the geologists the Missouri River didn't join the Mississippi until down in Arkansas. The area where Arkansas State is was between the Missouri and the Mississippi.

But those changes in course result in the border sometimes no longer being the river.
The New Madrid earthquakes changed the courses of several rivers and the river courses changed even more over the years following.
Link for anyone not familiar with those quakes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1811%E2%80...arthquakes

Arkansas City is a little bitty town in south Arkansas. Until 1927 it was a fairly significant port on the Mississippi River with rail lines to haul goods to and from the river. The flood of 1927 ended that, when the flood receded the city went from being on the river to being a mile away because the course changed.
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/en...ntryID=875

North of Arkansas City there is a good sized parcel of land that is in Mississippi but it is on the Arkansas side of the river. A speculator bought the land and was going to build a Mississippi licensed casino complex on the land so that it would be the closest casino to a big part of the state. Only problem with the plan, several miles of road from the nearest highway to the plot of land was a county road and it was a gravel road. Just needs widening and paving and maybe a couple of better bridges. The county saw no benefit in getting easements or condemning land to widen and pave the road. The developer extolled how they could make good money off new gas stations and heck maybe a pawn shop or two (I threw the last one in for free).

The county government was understandably skeptical the investment would make sense. Add in local objection from the pastors and their flocks, by the time the developer is ready to cave in pay for the construction cost of the road, the political sentiment is such that he could pay extra and they wouldn't do it.

Investors backed out because no one wants to drive down a gravel road that can't handle much traffic to go to a casino.

(09-25-2015 01:34 PM)bluesox Wrote:  I'm still at a loss for why the big 10 passed on Missouri, not sure they could get them now. Of course, the answer is the big 10 commish convinced the presidents to go after UVA and UNC, conflict interest with that move on his part not to mention unrealistic. Gordon Gee admitted later that such a plan by the big 10 was a mistake and the result is missouri is in the SEC, probably to stay in the sec.

They already had a bunch of slow growing Midwestern states with mid-level programs. They didn't need another.

(09-25-2015 03:33 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 02:53 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 01:49 PM)mufanatehc Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 01:00 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 12:48 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  There is a vehicle ferry that crosses from Hickman, Kentucky to Dorena, Missouri.


Of course I am probably the only person posting on here that has traveled on it...

And using the US 60/62 bridges, you are only in Illinois for about two miles crossing from KY to MO.

U.S. 62 must be the only road in the U.S. that crosses over both the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

I-64 crosses the Ohio at Louisville and the Mississippi at St. Louis

I-70 crosses the Ohio at Wheeling WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis

US 50 crosses the Ohio at Parkersburg WV and the Mississippi at St. Louis.

US 52 crosses the Ohio at Huntington WV and the Mississippi at Savanna IL

... Yes I'm bored

Now I know who to call if I'm ever on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" and they ask me a question about midwestern geography.

Just for ish and giggles, not only is US 62 not the only to cross both, it is not even the only highway to cross both on that bridge. US 60, which is really the more major highway, runs concurrent to US 62 across both bridges, and thru a good portion of Missouri. Side note, I live on US 60 (in Louisville, KY).

Also I am pretty sure the roads were routed away from Missouri and thru Illinois, due to cost. There was already a highway going up thru Illinois from there (US 51, another major highway that goes from LA to Wisconsin), and the cost to build a second bridge across the Ohio from Illinois would be far cheaper, then building one directly across the Mississippi just below the confluence of the Ohio River.

It is less about being "meaningless" then being cheap or cost efficient, depending on which side of the coin you are on. The irony that the OP calls it meaningless because the bridge between the states goes through Illinois, then ignores the road is in Illinois for less than a mile, which is quite a bit more meaningless.

All of that said, the OP's line "it's the only border between any two states such that there isn't a single road allowing a person to drive from the main body of one state to the main body of the bordering state" is not really accurate. He will argue it is, but it is not. Because you can drive across US 62/US60 from Kentucky and get to Missouri, by going thru Illinois (the word "direct" was not listed). But more importantly, there is a couple of small parts of Kentucky that are west of the Mississippi, that have a few roads that go into Missouri. They are not highways, but they exist. Or, if we are using "main body" part of the state as a the descriptor, then Michigan/Wisconsin also fits the bill. since you cannot drive directly from the main body of each state to the other. But that's just boring trivia for a Friday.

Side note: whomever settled on drawing the borders between Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee was clearly drunk. It's like they were trying to draw a straight line down the middle of the Mississippi River, then get distracted and just let the pen wander.

It is accurate. It was worded such that the border between the two states had to be surpassed in order to qualify.

Driving from MO to IL and then from IL to KY does not qualify as surpassing the MO/KY border.


As to your other attempt to defeat it, yes I put that "main body" part because I did see that there was (at least one, that I found) tiny enclave of KY that is stranded across the river that does have a road into MO.

Nice try with WI/MI, but it's obvious that the UP is part of the main body of MI and there are several roads between WI and UPMI.

So you lose that one too.

(09-25-2015 04:12 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 01:34 PM)bluesox Wrote:  I'm still at a loss for why the big 10 passed on Missouri, not sure they could get them now. Of course, the answer is the big 10 commish convinced the presidents to go after UVA and UNC, conflict interest with that move on his part not to mention unrealistic. Gordon Gee admitted later that such a plan by the big 10 was a mistake and the result is missouri is in the SEC, probably to stay in the sec.

They already had a bunch of slow growing Midwestern states with mid-level programs. They didn't need another.

I'm still waiting for southerners to start selling jars labeled "Growth!", as some sort of miracle cure-all substance.

The word itself seems to impart deep satisfaction in those parts, even though a sufficient understanding of the underlying concepts is often lacking.