{"id":12288,"date":"2023-12-28T12:05:06","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T11:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=12288"},"modified":"2023-12-28T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T11:05:06","slug":"what-does-the-mississippi-river-go-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/what-does-the-mississippi-river-go-through\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does The Mississippi River Go Through"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Mississippi River flows for around 2300 miles, from its source in north-central Minnesota to its delta in the Gulf of Mexico near the southeast tip of Louisiana. As the second longest and fourth largest river in the United States, the Mississippi flows through a rich diversity of landscapes and cultures, serving as an important pathway of conservation, commerce and history for the nation.<\/p>\n

The mighty Mississippi begins in the northern parts of Minnesota, and departs the state on its eastern border, then continuing on its way through Wisconsin and Iowa. Upon reaching the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa, the river makes a great southerly turn and passes through Illinois, then Missouri, where it this great mighty river forks into two separate branches. The Mississippi course then passes through western Kentucky, west Tennessee, Arkansas, much of Mississippi, and Louisiana, where the river leaves the United States at the head of the Lower Mississippi Valley and drains into the Gulf of Mexico.<\/p>\n

The Mississippi has provided transportation and sustenance for millions of people since before the beginning of recorded history. Along its banks, flows countless stories of human exploration, Native Americans, plantation owners, revolutionaries, abolitionists, and immigrants. Explorers such as Hernando De Soto and Jacques Marquette braved the depth and breadth of the river and opened it up to commercial traffic and colonisation.<\/p>\n

Today, the Mississippi and its tributaries support more than 180 species of fish. Wildlife native to the banks of the Mississippi, though threatened by habitat loss, include American beaver, bald eagle, raccoon, muskrat, and pelican, amongst many others. The river is home to some of the most beloved landmarks in the country such as the Gateway Arch, Pikes Peak, New Orleans’ French Quarter, and the iconic bridge of Memphis.<\/p>\n