Parks on the Mighty Mississippi Quiz

Answer: Minnesota

The Itasca State Park is approximately 32,690 acres (132.3km), and only one of several state parks that the Mississippi flows through. This park was established in 1891 and contains old-growth pine forests and the headwaters of the Mississippi. Visitors have many recreational options including: hiking, fishing, boating, biking, birding, etc. The visitor centers also offer educational materials outlining the area' history before and after man's arrival.

At the river's headwaters folks can wade across or cross on a bridge. A visitor center is located there, named for Mary Gibbs who is remembered for her confrontation with loggers over the height of water in Lake Itasca which put the forests at risk.

Answer: Wisconsin

Commissioned in 1917, the 2,700 acre state park is situated where the Wisconsin River joins the Mississippi. The park name comes from the Munsee-Delaware Lenape language and means "home of the warrior". Tourists to the park can go hiking, boating, canoeing, birding, and much more. There are scenic overlooks and Native American burial mounds to explore.

The Friends of Wyalusing is a non-profit organization which helps organize events and volunteers. Some of the annual events are Smokey Bear's Birthday Bash in August and a Fall Harvest Festival in September.

Answer: Iowa

This state park is divided between two tracts about two miles apart.

The Nelson Unit includes the "Garden Sanctuary for Butterflies" with 100 separate plots full of paths through separate plots which create butterfly habitats. The Dyson Unit that is closer to the river has camping facilities. Both parts of the park have hiking trails and scenic views of the river.

Answer: Illinois

The park is geographically located at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. Tourists that want to stay can either camp or stay at the Pere Marquette Lodge. The lodge hosts a winery and a restaurant, or guests can engage in many of the scenic activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, biking or horseback riding.

Jacques Marquette was a Jesuit priest exploring with Louis Joliet. They are believed to be the first Europeans to explore this area. The lodge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a Depression era work relief program, in the 1930s.

Answer: Missouri

This is one of the sites that commemorates the forcible relocation of southern Indian tribes due to President Andrew Jackson's passage of the Indian Removal Act. Their route is now designated as the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. This state park is where many lost their lives either in the harsh winter or trying to cross the freezing Mississippi. The visitor center includes exhibits and a documentary film on this historical topic.

The 3,415 acre park has many visitor options including camping either in tent or RV, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, birding, boating and hiking.

Answer: Kentucky

During the American Civil War, this park was fortified by Confederate General Leonidas Polk who nicknamed Fort DeRussey as the "Gibraltar of the West". In an attempt to block the transport of supplies on the river, one of the fortifications was a chain with a six-ton anchor and chain (with eleven inch links) which was stretched across the river. The chain was to be raised or lowered by adding or removing boats. The Civilian Conservation Corps created a stone monument with the anchor and chain links in 1934.

The visitor has many options including camping, birding, hiking, boating and even miniature golf.

Answer: Tennessee

The park name was changed from Shelby Forest State Park to honor Edward J. Meeman. He was influential in getting the land allocated and the park development. He believed in conserving the forests.

Some of the activities that the camp offers are cabins and camping, hiking trails, birding, cycling, the Meeman Museum, boating, and a disc golf course.

Answer: Arkansas

Starting in the late 1920s, Dr. James K. Hampson began an archeological study of his family plantation, Nodena. He and his family would find and document two major sites, the Upper and Middle Nodena sites. These sites date from about 1450 to 1650 AD. No one knows that these folk called themselves, but research and archeological studies continue at the park.

Visitors have the opportunity to view 3D renderings of the village, and can view many relics at the museum.

Answer: Mississippi

Located close to Port Gibson, this park is now in the ghost town of Grand Gulf. A bustling town in the mid-1800s, it was ravaged by yellow fever, a tornado, a change in the Mississippi River course, and the Civil War.

The park was opened in 1962 and has items of interest from the Civil War, the Spanish House built in the 1700s, a cemetery, a watermill, a submarine used to transport bootleg whiskey. Visitors can also visit the museum, hike, or climb a 75ft tower for views of the Mississippi.

Answer: Louisiana

This park was established in 1978 with six separate sites. These include the Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery, Acadian Culture Center, Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, Barataria Preserve and French Quarter Visitor Center.

Visitors have many options to enjoy the lush wildlife in the Barataria Preserve. For those more interested in history, several of the sites explore Acadian culture.