Alabama Constitution Section 37 - State boundaries defined.
Alabama Constitution – Section 37: State Boundaries Defined
📜 Official Text of Section 37:
"The boundaries of this state are established and declared to be as follows, that is to say: beginning at the point where the thirty-first degree of north latitude crosses the Perdido River; thence east to the western boundary line of the State of Georgia; thence along said line to the southern boundary line of the State of Tennessee; thence west along the said boundary line to the Tennessee River; thence up the same to the mouth of Bear Creek; thence by a direct line to the northwest corner of Washington County, in this state; thence southerly along the line of Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico; thence eastwardly, including all the islands within six leagues of the shore, to the Perdido River; and thence up the said river to the beginning."
🧭 Explanation:
This section legally defines the geographic boundaries of the State of Alabama using natural landmarks (like rivers) and references to borders with neighboring states.
🗺️ Key Elements of the Boundary Description:
Starts at the 31st degree north latitude where it meets the Perdido River (eastern border with Florida).
East to Georgia's western boundary.
North to the Tennessee state line.
West to the Tennessee River, following it upstream to Bear Creek.
A straight line to the northwest corner of Washington County (in Alabama).
South along the Mississippi state line to the Gulf of Mexico.
Eastward along the coast, including all islands within 6 leagues (18 nautical miles) of shore.
Returns up the Perdido River to the starting point.
🏛️ Purpose:
To formally define Alabama’s territorial limits.
To clarify jurisdictional boundaries for governance, property rights, law enforcement, and resource control.
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