Today, we all know—assume—that the Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota. How did we figure this out? Why does it matter? In this episode, I dig into the history of how European and American explorers searched the swamps and forests of Minnesota trying to figure out exactly where the Mississippi River
On May 17, 1673—350 years ago—Louis Jolliet and Father Jacques Marquette began an epic trip from the Great Lakes through Wisconsin and down the Mississippi River, one that would prove to be enormously consequential for European colonial ambitions and for the lives of indigenous people in the region. In this episode, I talk with
Feeling down? Just wait a bit and something will float by to lift your spirits.
Sometimes we need to remind people that there’s a river near them. Sure, we may kinda remember something about a river that we think runs near us, but most of us don’t get to that river very often and we sure don’t know a lot about it. That’s why we need those reminders. Enter Wild
I just finished re-reading The Adventures of Huck Finn, so it seems like a good week to post a song that was inspired by that classic story. This song, Mule, is on the 2011 CD called True, but Minneapolis native Willie Wisely actually penned the song in the late 1980s. Mule really highlights Wisely's impressive
