The Mississippi River’s depth ranges from less than 3 feet at the headwaters in Minnesota, to the deepest section in New Orleans where it is 200 feet deep.  Sixty percent of all North American birds (326 species) use the Mississippi River Basin as their migratory flyway.

The name Mississippi comes from the Anishinabe people (Ojibwe Indians).  They called the river “Messipi”, which means Big River or Father of the Waters.

The Mississippi River is a fishing hot spot.  Over 240 fish species inhabit the river and its tributaries.

A raindrop falling into Lake Itasca would arrive at the Gulf of Mexico in about 90 days.

Water skiing was invented in 1922 on the Mississippi, in a wide part of the river known as Lake Pepin, between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The Mississippi forms the 3rd largest drainage basin in the world.  Its system of 29 locks and dams stretches 669 miles between Minneapolis and Granite City, Illinois, controlling nearly two-thirds of the nation’s watershed.

A great road trip would be driving along the Great River Road, where you will find 60 Interpretive Centers that tell the fascinating story of the river.

Brought to you by Mills Properties

Photo courtesy of stlouisarch.com