MISSISSIPPI! A powerful name for a powerful river. The Mississippi is easily the most storied river in this hemisphere
and it's history "IS" the heart of the story of story that is America. Once it connected the Great Lakes with the Atlantic,
but when the Great Lakes broke through the St. Lawrence, their reduced level separated them from the Mighty Mississippi for
the first time in Millions of years. For thousands of years it served as part of a great circular highway, where copper was
extracted from the Iron Range and transported to Asia to fuel the Age of Copper. I'll try to explore these mysterious early
origins in this section of my report, but I'll also talk about the Mississippi's post Great Lake's history along with the
cities between Mississippi and New Orleans that make the river the colorful entity it is. Hopefully I'll unravel a bit of
the puzzle that this winding bonster presents.
Grand Rounds
Minneapolis
Grand Rounds
Mississippi River Visitor Center
St. Paul
On Mississippi's Banks
Along The Mississippi
StPaul To Minneapolis
Mississippi - A Closer Look
St. Paul & Minneapolis Virtual Looks Across The Mississippi
St.
Paul & Minneapolis Time Lapse Drives Along Historic Routes
Minneapolis, Sopranos Style
Looking
Across Hwy 61 @ Duluth From Where The Mississippi River Once Connected With Lake Superior
Highway 61 Highway 61 and the Mississippi are inextricably linked, and for much of their time together, they are
one. After they meet at the same place, and begin their epic journey northward they part ways and 61 joins with the NorthShore
of Lake Superior as The Mississippi once did. Here it meanders along the coast, while gripping the cliffs and wildly skirting
the edges, it dives and cycles in and out of the water-body's thrilling twists and turns. Most who've driven it consider this
particular stretch to be without doubt, America's most picturesque Highway experience, but moreover it oozes history and hearkens
back to a pre-vehicle age when this route was used help navigate the unwieldy barges that traversed the route in prehistoric
times. Now of course there's talk of the mighty "NAFTA Global Corridor" that'll tie Minnesota directly with Mexico and Central
America and it's no secret what route they've chosen. This so-called "SuperHighway" and oil-pipeline-scheme when fully realized
will add another telling chapter to the already storied history of America's Greatest Road. I'll examine all of this and more
in this segment of my Locomotion project and try as well to give it a home-town perspective throughout.
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan & The Band
Highway 61 Oh God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son"
Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on"
God say, "No." Abe say, "What?"
God say, "You can do what you want Abe, but
The next time you see me comin' you better run"
Well Abe says, "Where do you want this killin' done?"
God says, "Out on Highway 61."
Well Georgia Sam he had a bloody nose
Welfare Department they wouldn't give him no clothes
He asked poor Howard where can I go
Howard said there's only one place I know
Sam said tell me quick man I got to run
Ol' Howard just pointed with his gun
And said that way down on Highway 61.
Well Mack the Finger said to Louie the King
I got forty red white and blue shoe strings
And a thousand telephones that don't ring
Do you know where I can get rid of these things
And Louie the King said let me think for a minute son
And he said yes I think it can be easily done
Just take everything down to Highway 61.
Now the fifth daughter on the twelfth night
Told the first father that things weren't right
My complexion she said is much too white
He said come here and step into the light he says hmm you're right
Let me tell the second mother this has been done
But the second mother was with the seventh son
And they were both out on Highway 61.
Now the rovin' gambler he was very bored
He was tryin' to create a next world war
He found a promoter who nearly fell off the floor
He said I never engaged in this kind of thing before
But yes I think it can be very easily done
We'll just put some bleachers out in the sun
And have it on Highway 61.
