The un-mighty Miss

For most people the image of the Mississippi River is one of a broad major river flowing down the center of the United States.  For most part that is true: there are sections south of the Twin Cities where the river is more of a continuous lake. 

Not so south of the Arch Bridge and to St. Paul where in places it narrows down to 200 meters or less.  Nevertheless the river is both an important commercial and recreational artery as can be seen in this first set which takes us from the University of Minnesota campus to the Ford Bridge named after the nearby Ford truck plant.  This page reflects the river at its near flood stage in the Spring of 1999 as well as its colorful stage in October, 1999.

 

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 The "gorge" starts south of the lower dam and continues to Ft. Snelling.  The University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus is on both sides of the river with the East Campus in view.

 

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The I-94 bridge is in the background as the river goes around a slight bend near the U of Minnesota campus in this October, 1999 scene.

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Once again in the gorge with two recreational boats heading upsteam with the U of Minnesota campus in the background.

The Short Line bridge once carried the Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha from Chicago over the river.  Today it sits all but unused for the most part waiting to be converted as part of a bike path project. The river in this May, 1999 scene was at near flood level

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A small tug boat pushes its load upstream just south of the Lake Bridge.  Commercial traffic is a little heavy in October as Winter approaches.

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During October the river area becomes a sea of brilliant colors with the trees near the gorge.

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A single duck finds refuge on a water soaked log along the river near the Short Line bridge in May, 1999.

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Near the Ford bridge another view of the river showing the gorge and the fall colors.

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The Ford Bridge taken from the west bank just north showing parts of the bridge and the fall color along the river.
This fall scene is on the west bank of the river near the former Milwaukee road "Short Line" bridge.  This is from October, 2000.

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The bridge - now with fall colors.  Compare this with the same scene during the Spring flood of 1999.

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Further down stream this tree leans along the river bank.  The exposed roots are proof of earlier floods that eroded the soil below the tree..

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 A lone pick up truck heads north on West River Road near the Washington Bridge.

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The Minneapolis sky line with the newly converted bike path converted from a railroad bridge in the foreground.  This was taken by the University of Minnesota campus on the east bank of the river. fall colors on the river w.jpg (80470 bytes) Not too far from the Ford bridge is this vista of brilliant autumn colors along the Mississippi River.

Click on picture for full size.  When finished please click on "back" arrow.

 [c] 1999-2006

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