{"id":10059,"date":"2023-11-18T21:06:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-18T20:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=10059"},"modified":"2023-11-18T21:06:02","modified_gmt":"2023-11-18T20:06:02","slug":"does-the-mississippi-river-run-through-illinois","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/does-the-mississippi-river-run-through-illinois\/","title":{"rendered":"Does The Mississippi River Run Through Illinois"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Mississippi River is one of the most historic waterways in the United States. For hundreds of years, it has served as a major transport and trading route for many Native American tribes, European settlers, and American pioneers. Today, the river is used for a variety of purposes including commercial shipping, recreation, and education. But does the mighty Mississippi run through Illinois? <\/p>\n

To answer this question, it’s important to understand the geography of the Mississippi River. The river runs south-north, originating in Minnesota’s Lake Itasca before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana. It passes through 10 states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Illinois. <\/p>\n

The section of the river that runs through Illinois is referred to as the Upper Mississippi. It begins in the north, near St. Louis, and runs southward to the Ohio River. The Upper Mississippi is a key part of the commercial navigation system of the United States, providing a waterway for goods, services, and people to move between the Great Lakes region, the Midwest, and the Gulf of Mexico. <\/p>\n

The state of Illinois is divided into two parts by the Mississippi River: the east side and the west side. On the east side, the river flows through St. Louis, Alton and Quincy, while the west side is made up of the towns of Hannibal and Grafton, along with many smaller communities. The Mississippi River forms an important boundary line between the two areas, serving as a natural and cultural divide. <\/p>\n