While we settled on the name Mississippi by the mid-eighteenth century, we were still trying to define what body of water that name applied to—specifically, just where the river we called Mississippi began. This wasn’t just an act of intellectual curiosity. At the end of the eighteenth century, border disputes between the U. S.
The beginning of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca, MN (photo taken Oct 2013). See more photos here. Lake Itasca and the Mississippi River
Population (2010) N/A Introduction Itasca State Park is one of the crown jewels of the Mississippi River region, and not just because the Mississippi River begins here. The park offers excellent outdoors experiences, historic lodges, and is fun to visit any time of year. Don't forget to check out
The source of the Mississippi River, Lake Itasca, is a spring-fed bowl-shaped basin of lakes and bogs deep in the pine forests of northern Minnesota. The Headwaters of the Mississippi River can be a crowded place, especially in summer, but the surrounding area can be surprisingly tranquil. Bear still roam wild; gray wolves bay
Views of the Mississippi River from Minnesota.
