Everything about Lake Itasca totally explained
Lake Itasca is a small
glacial lake, approximately 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) in area, in the
Lake District of northwestern
Minnesota in the
United States. It is the
source of the
Mississippi River. The lake is located in southeastern
Clearwater County within
Itasca State Park. It has an average depth of 20-35 feet (6-11 m), and is 1,475 ft (450 m) above sea level.
The Mississippi River starts its 2,340 mi (3,770 km) journey to the
Gulf of Mexico at the lake.
Henry Schoolcraft identified Lake Itasca as the river's source in
1832. He had been part of a previous expedition in
1820 led by
General Lewis Cass that had named nearby
Cass Lake (which is downstream from Itasca) as the source of the river. The
Ojibwe name for "Lake Itasca" was
Omashkoozo-zaaga'igan (Elk Lake); this was changed by Schoolcraft to "Itasca"
(External Link
),., coined from a combination of the
Latin words
veritas ("truth") and
caput ("head"). It is one of several examples of pseudo-Indian place names created by Schoolcraft.
The
channel of the Mississippi as it emerges from the lake was actually moved in the
1930s by the
Civilian Conservation Corps, as part of project to create a more pleasant experience for visitors. The project included the draining of the surrounding swamp, the digging of a new channel, and the installation of a man-made rock
rapids. Wading across the rapids in bare feet – walking across the Mississippi River – is a popular recreational activity for summer
tourists.
The western arm of the lake is fed by two small streams on its south end. Nicolett Creek, which is considered too small to be considered as the headwaters, starts in a nearby spring. Another small stream leads into Itasca from Elk Lake, which in turn is fed by two other streams. In
1887 Williard Glazier promoted a campaign to consider Elk Lake, which he called Glazier Lake, as the true source of the Mississippi. These streams, however, are generally considered too small to be categorized as the headwaters of the river.
The decision was made by
Jacob V. Brower, a land surveyor and president of the Minnesota Historical Society, who after spending five months exploring the lakes ruled that the lakes and streams further south of Lake Itasca were not the true source of the Mississippi. Brower was to aggressively campaign to save the lake from logging. On April 21, 1891, the Minnesota Legislature officially made it a state park by a margin of one vote. Brower is now called the "Father of Lake Itasca" and the visitor center is named in his honor.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Lake Itasca'.
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