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A wiggly waterway winds down the middle of the United States, dividing the East from the West. The Mississippi River begins in northern Minnesota.
It grows stronger as it runs down the length of the country—all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. As it flows, it picks up dirt from the farmlands that line its banks. It carries that dirt south. This turns the river brown. It also gives it its nickname: “Old Muddy.”
The Mississippi is full of surprises. Near its source at Lake Itasca, the river can be only 10 to 20 feet wide. It all depends on how much rain has fallen. People like to hop across the river on stones. Then they can tell friends that they walked across the Mississippi. Traveling downriver, waters are so calm they can make you sleepy. Just around the bend, though, currents can make even a big boat lean way over. Trees hidden underwater can tear holes in the bottom of the strongest ship. Sandbars can ground a boat for days. Ready for an adventure? Join us for a trip down the mighty Mississippi.
▲ European explorers found the Mississippi in the sixteenth century. But the river was home to Native Americans long before that. The Ojibwa (also known as the Chippewa) are said to have named it. Mississippi is their word for “great river” or “gathering of waters.” Other tribes also lived along the river and the streams that flow into it. These tribes included the Chickasaw and the Sioux.
Fur traders opened the Mississippi River to settlers. They set up trading posts near government forts. Native groups brought furs from wild animals. These included beaver, deer, and raccoon. They traded them for iron kettles, glass beads, and cloth. Millions of dollars in furs were shipped along the river. ▶
The Mississippi and Its Major Tributaries
▲ From its headwaters in Minnesota to its outlet in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River is about 2,350 miles long. It is the second-longest river in the U.S. Its main tributary, or offshoot, the Missouri River, is the longest. The Mississippi has some 250 tributaries. These include the Ohio, Arkansas, and Tennessee Rivers. The Mississippi is one of the world’s busiest rivers. Oceangoing ships can go up the river as far as Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Barges and towboats can go as far north as Minneapolis, Minnesota.
