River of History - A Historic Resources Study

Front cover of the Historic Resources Study. Port of St. Paul, head of navigation, 1853. Steamboats at Upper and Lower Landings.

Artist: Thompson Ritchie, American Memory Project. Library of Congress.

Introduction

The Historic Resources Study of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area was developed cooperatively by the National Park Service, and the U.S. Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District in 2003. The historic resources study includes eight chapters, with areas of interest ranging from the early geology of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area to the growth of many cities along the banks of the river.

The content between the printed version and the electronic version found here is the same, but the reader will find the formatting somewhat different by necessity and, to some degree, for convenience. For instance, the Table of Contents is replaced with this webpage as there are no page numbers in the electronic version and the chapter endnotes, which are collected in the back of the printed copy, are now at the end of each chapter for easier reference.

For more information, contact the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, [phone].

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River of History

A Historic Resources Study of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

by John O. Anfinson, National Park Service
with contributions by
Thomas Madigan, Drew M. Forsberg and Patrick Nunnally

• List of Figures
• Acknowledgments

• Preface

• Chapter 1: The Geology of the MNRRA Corridor
• Chapter 2: Early Native American Life in the MNRRA Corridor
• Chapter 3: Discovery and Dispossession
• Chapter 4: Transforming the River I: Commerce and Navigation Improvements, 1823-1906
• Chapter 5: Transforming the River II: Commerce, Navigation Improvements, 1907-1963
• Chapter 6: St. Anthony Falls: Timber, Flour and Electricity
• Chapter 7: The Patterns of Agriculture, Commerce, Industry and Transportation
• Chapter 8: Settlement and Urban Residential Development Along the River, 1841-1950
• Epilogue: Novel and Familiar Places
• Selected Bibliography