{"id":12416,"date":"2024-01-25T08:21:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T07:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=12416"},"modified":"2024-01-25T08:21:02","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T07:21:02","slug":"what-line-of-longitude-does-the-mississippi-river-cross","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/what-line-of-longitude-does-the-mississippi-river-cross\/","title":{"rendered":"What Line Of Longitude Does The Mississippi River Cross"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Located in the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River is one of the largest rivers in the world, running for 2,320 miles, from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. It is one of the earliest rivers explored by Europeans, and has been extremely important to the development of the country. In terms of geography, the river is located between latitude 30° N and 43° N. More specifically, it crosses numerous lines of longitude, but one in particular stands out: the 90th meridian, or 96° west longitude. <\/p>\n

This particular line of longitude has been deemed historically important as it was used by Thomas Jefferson to help define the Louisiana Purchase, as well as the following repatriation of former slaves and Native Americans in the southern states. The line of 90° west longitude is also significant because it passes through the centre point of the Lower 48 states. It even goes south of the border into Mexico, tracing the boundary of the US-Mexico boundary.<\/p>\n

So how does the Mississippi River fit into this geopolitics of lines of longitude? Well, as it turns out, the great river passes over the 90th meridian or 96° west longitude multiple times. The line of longitude winds along the river from northeast to southwest, starting from its headwaters in Minnesota and ending near the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the 93rd meridian, the Mississippi’s northernmost point, also falls at approximately 96° west longitude.<\/p>\n

In terms of geographic significance, the Mississippi River’s alignment with the 90th meridian is notable due to its status as the “Great Divide”. This line of longitude is often used by geographers and cartographers to define the eastern edge of the theoretical Midwest region. In fact, the Mississippi is so closely aligned with it that it is often used as an invisible border between the North and the South.<\/p>\n