The Mississippi River is the second longest river on the North American continent, second only to the Missouri River. It starts at Lake Itasca, in Itasca State Park, in northwestern Minnesota, and flows 2,318 miles to the Mississippi River Delta in the Gulf of Mexico. On the way, it either borders or flows through ten states; Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Some cities along the Mississippi River are, St. Cloud, MN, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, La Crosse, WI, Quad cities of Moline, Rock Island, East Moline, IL, and Bettendorf, IA. Also, St. Louis, MO, Memphis, TN, Greenville, MS, Vicksburg, MS, Baton Rouge, LA, and New Orleans, LA., are cities along the Mississippi River.
Convergence
There are a number of rivers that flow into the Mississippi River, such as the Missouri River, which is actually the longest river in North America at 2,341 miles in length. Also, the Ohio River, Illinois River, Red River, and Arkansas River flow into the Mississippi. The Mississippi River is at its widest at Lake Winnibigoshish, near Bena, MN. At this point it is nearly 11 miles in width.
The Name
The name Mississippi, comes from the Anishinabe or Ojibwa people. They called it the Messily, or Lee-zee-see-bee, which means, “Big River,” or “Father of Waters.”
The Third Longest River In The World?
The Mississippi River is actually the third longest river in the world when you include the Missouri River Tributary. The two rivers converge in St. Louis. There has been some question as why it is not called the Missouri River, south of St. Louis, since the Missouri River is longer at the point where the two rivers meet. Typically when rivers converge, the name of the longer river is used from that point on.
Strange Stories and Legends of The Mississippi
There are many strange stories, and legends about the Mississippi River. Stories of monsters below the water, and hauntings along the river, and even UFO sightings. Actor Clint Walker, of Cheyenne fame, recalled seeing a UFO along the Mississippi in 1951 while on his was to Illinois. Another interesting fact is, there are times when the Mississippi River has been known to reverse its direction. This has been rare, and usually happened after some significant natural event, such as an earthquake, but it has happened more than once. Of course now, there also has to be a haunted house somewhere along the Mississippi. It turns out, the oldest settlement along the Mississippi River, the city of Natchez, is said to be the most haunted city in the state of Mississippi.
Birth Of A Church
In 1863, Robert Hickman, who was born a slave in Missouri, led a group of about 75 slaves, including his wife, and young son, to freedom in the north. They called themselves Pilgrims. They travelled north up the Mississippi by raft, where they were discovered by a steamboat, which towed their raft the rest of the way to St. Paul, MN. Hickman was a preacher, who went on to establish Pilgrim Baptist Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, which, being founded in 1863, is typically recognized as the oldest black congregation in the state of Minnesota.
A Major Escape Route
The Mississippi River was a major escape route for runaway slaves. Many times, plantation owners would head north up the Mississippi to the Twin Cities during the summer to escape the harsh summer heat of the south. They often brought their slaves with them, unknowingly giving them a chance to escape. Also, many slaves, seeking freedom, would use river steamboats, hiding under cargo, and tarps. They would be helped along the way by those who fought against slavery.
Earliest European
On May 8, 1541, a Spanish explorer by the name of Hernando de Soto, was the first known European explorer to reach the Mississippi River. He called it the Rio del Espiritu Santo, which means, River of the Holy Spirit. The portion of the Mississippi River that he reached is what is now part of the state of Mississippi.
Minneapolis/St. Paul
In the Twin Cities, the Mississippi River is generally known to divide Minneapolis and St. Paul, although it does not do this in all areas of the cities. The two cities, despite generally being right across the river from each other, could not be more different. Minneapolis is the bigger and younger of the two, and is more cosmopolitan than St. Paul. Minneapolis is known to have more of a big city feel, while St. Paul feels more like a small town, and is the more traditional of the two. There has always been a bit of a rivalry between the two cities, and there is a basic belief, which may, or may not be true, that Minneapolis people do not like going into St. Paul, and St. Paul people do not like going into Minneapolis.
Just The Right Time
To catch the richness of fall colors on the Mississippi, you have to catch it at just the right time. It would seem like it shouldn’t be that hard, but the richest colors only seem to last a few days, and then they’re gone.