Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world, flowing 2,350 miles from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.Itis the second longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri.In Minnesota, the river flows through valleys, bluffs, prairies, and woodlands in a variety of flow rates and widths. Portions of the river have been designated as a Wild and Scenic river.There are ten mapped segments of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, beginning at the source and ending on the Minnesota/Iowa border.At its widest point, the Mississippi River stretches out over 7 miles (11 km) in width.The Mississippi River lies in the following ten US states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.The first Europeans to see the river inland were Hernando DE SOTO and his party in 1541. In the late 17th century, the Frenchmen Jacques MARQUETTE and Louis JOLLIET (1673) and the sieur de LA SALLE explored the river from the north; La Salle, who reached the mouth of the Mississippi in 1682, claimed the whole valley for France. The western part of the basin was purchased from France by the United States in 1803 (see LOUISIANA PURCHASE) and was explored by the LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION. Among the original Indian tribes living along the Mississippi were the OJIBWA, WINNEBAGO, FOX, SAUK, CHOCTAW, CHICKASAW, NATCHEZ, and ALABAMA.The River valley is formed by the thick layers of its silt deposits, making the area one of the most agricultural regions in the country, which helped result in the steamboat era. The Mississippi River is known as the birthplace of several music genres, the home to famous author Mark Twain and its important role during the Civil War Era.During the American Civil War, the river played a pivotal role as a route for trade and travel. The Union essentially took over the Mississippi, virtually splitting the Confederate territory in two while also controlling the South's main artery of transport.

The Mississippi River, meaning the “father of waters”, provided much inspiration to famous author Mark Twain. Samuel Clemens first signed his author name Mark Twain in February 1863 as a newspaper reporter in Nevada. The name Mark Twain means “Mark Number Two”, a Mississippi River term for the second mark on the line measuring the depth signified by two fathoms or twelve feet, the safe depth for a steamboat. In 1857, at the age of 21, Twain became a “cub” steamboat pilot.The Mississippi River has had strong historical significance in the USA from Native American tribes through to European explorers, the American Civil War, the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and its modern commercial uses.The first bridge built across the Mississippi River was in 1855 with the first railroad bridge finished a year later in 1856.Martin Strel, a Slovenian swimmer who is famous for swimming the length of entire rivers conquered the Mississippi over 68 days in 2002.Many of Mark Twain’s famous stories are related to or take place near the Mississippi River, this includes the well known ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’.

 Experience the river's rich heritage and diverse culture for yourself aboard one of these Mississippi River cruises from American Cruise Lines.