Natural contours define the borders of several American states
While many state lines were drawn by human hands, the iconic shapes of Louisiana and Massachusetts were sculpted by rivers and ocean waves.
State boundaries are often viewed as arbitrary lines on a map, but some of the most recognizable borders in the United States were dictated by the natural world. The distinctive boot shape of southeastern Louisiana, for instance, was carved over millennia by the shifting path of the Mississippi River. Similarly, the famous hook of Cape Cod in Massachusetts was not a human design but a result of ocean waves sculpting the coastline.
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