This section of the website concerns the Mississippi River itself. We approach it from six perspectives:

– The confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, near Alton: CLICK 

– Lewis and Clark at the confluence as they prepared to leave Illinois for their great expedition (and. be sure to watch our film, embedded on that page): CLICK

– Mark Twain, through our interview with Professor Bruce Michelson, a renowned Twain expert: CLICK

– Captain Luke Moore, who piloted the massive Mary Evelyn barge tow on the river for more than thirty years: CLICK

– Melvin Price Locks and Dam, near Alton: CLICK

– The National Great Rivers Museum, near Alton and the confluence: CLICK

Recently, the United States Postal Service honored the Mississippi River with this series of stamps:

The Mississippi River Network-One Mississippi says that 175 million tons of freight are transported by the river each year.

We note the challenges faced by the river. The October 22, 2022 news highlighted the drastic, record low water levels in the Mississippi River that backed up nearly 3,000 barges — the equivalent of 210,000 container trucks — on America’s most important inland waterway. Deliveries of corn and soy as well as fuel, coal, industrial chemicals and building materials were delayed at a cost of many billions of dollars. The situation continued into November of that year.

  The New York Times, 11.3.22
But in late April-early May 2023: