"The Great Mississippi, the majestic, the magnificent Mississippi, rolling its mile-wide tide along, shining in the sun."
Mark Twain

"A raindrop falling at Lake Itasca (at the Mississippi headwaters) would arrive at the Gulf of Mexico in about 90 days."
National Park Service

The Mississippi River - named by Native Americans the 'Father of the Waters' - is the most important river in the United States. It is 3,778 km long and flows from the US state of Minnesota to
the Gulf of Mexico. Its tributary, the Missouri River, is 3,767 km, and together they form the largest river system in the world.

•    Hundreds of years ago, Native Americans lived along the 'Father of the Waters' and used the river for trade and travel.

•    The first Europeans to reach the river were Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and his party in 1541. Until 1803 the Mississippi River was the western boundary of the United States; the land beyond belonged to France and Spain. The French controlled a large territory known as Louisiana (after King Louis XIV of France). The ruler of France at this time was Napoleon, and Americans were afraid that he might send French soldiers and settlers to Louisiana. President Thomas Jefferson decided to buy the land. Luckily, Napoleon was about to go to war with Britain and needed money. For fifteen million dollars he sold Louisiana to the United States!

•    The Mississippi River starts at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota. It is a pris¬tine, sparkling place, and the waters from which it comes are very clear and cold. The river is so narrow here that you can walk across it in 15 steps.

•    The river becomes quite large by the time it reaches the Twin Cities -Minneapolis and St Paul. Minneapolis is on one side of the Mississippi River and St Paul is on the other side.

•    The city of St Louis was known as the 'Gateway to the West', and its Gateway Arch is a symbol of this. It's the tallest monument in America. At 293 metres, it is more than twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty.

•    Thousands of tourists come to Memphis to visit Elvis Presley's home, Graceland. Elvis Presley was one of the greatest icons of the 20th century. He didn't invent rock *n' roll, but he did more than any other musician to popularise it. He died in 1977, but there are still many peo-ple who call him the greatest rock singer of all time, and there are still Elvis impersonators all over the world.

•    Hannibal is just a little town on the Mississippi River but it is known all over America. Young Sam Clemens (Mark Twain) lived here from 1844 until 1853. People say that many characters in his books were copied from the boys and girls he knew in his childhood. Mark Twain's house is now a museum, and across the street is the house of his sweetheart, Laura Hawkins. She became the model for Becky Thatcher.

•    The Mississippi captured Mark Twain's heart, and even influenced his pen name. Samuel Clemens took this name from the call of the men on the steamboats as they marked the depth of the water with the words mark twain. Mark Twain means 'we are in safe water.'

•    The great Mississippi River ends in the Gulf of Mexico after travelling the full length of the United States. Around its mouth grew New Orleans, the home of jazz and one of the most unusual cities in the US. It was originally a French city, and its style of cooking, old buildings and Mardi Gras in New Orle traditions were influenced by French culture. In New Orleans, they still celebrate the old French festival of Mardi Gras!