The Mississippi River is the 4th longest river in the world, passing through 10 US states. Its headwaters originate in Lake Itasca, named by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft in 1832. The river is estimated to be between 2300 and 2500 miles long.
The Mississippi River system is the fourth longest river in the world, passing through 10 US states on its way to the sea. The Mississippi was first documented by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1541, although Native Americans had lived along the river for generations. The headwaters of the Mississippi River originate in Lake Itasca. This lake was documented and named by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft in 1832 who had searched for the headwaters while dealing with local tribes. Schoolcraft created the name Itasca from the Latin words for “truth” and “head,” intending the lake to be known as the “true head” of the Mississippi.
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It is difficult to determine the exact length of a river, but the Mississippi is usually estimated to be between 2300 and 2500 miles long.
The Mississippi can only be considered the fourth longest river in the world if the length of the Missouri River is included in the estimate. The Mississippi itself is only the 20th longest river in the world and the 3rd longest in the United States.
Lake Itasca is the narrowest point of the river, about 20-30 feet wide. The Mississippi stretches over 11 miles wide to Lake Winnibigoshish.
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