A trip along the Great River Road is a trip through the history of America. Here are some historical sites and museums you shouldn’t miss as you follow the Mississippi River through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.

Historic Fort Snelling, Minnesota

Located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers in St. Paul, Fort Snelling has been a place where people have gathered for centuries, from the original Dakota and Ojibwe inhabitants of the area to early fur traders to soldiers from the Civil War and World War II. The National Historic Landmark includes a museum & visitor center (open year-round), and guided tours of the historic fort are available.

Stonefield Historic Site, Wisconsin

This historic site in Cassville in southwestern Wisconsin (across the highway from Nelson Dewey State Park) highlights the state’s agricultural history with exhibits and historical artifacts, as well as more than 30 restored historic businesses that illustrate rural life at the turn of the 20th century. Stonefield is located on the former estate of Wisconsin’s first governor (the previously mentioned Nelson Dewey), and visitors can also tour his home to learn about how Wisconsin transitioned from territory to state. Stonefield is open seasonally from late May through September.

Motor Mill Historic Site, Iowa

Get a look at 19th-century industry at Motor Mill Historic Site near Elkader in northeast Iowa—the property features a six-story limestone flouring building and four related buildings dating to the 1860s.  The mill sits on the banks of the Turkey River, which flows into the Mississippi River to the east a few miles south of Guttenberg. Public tours of the mill are offered on Saturdays in the summer and early fall, and the site is also has facilities for camping, canoeing & kayaking, and hiking. 

Black Hawk State Historic Site, Illinois

This 200-acre park on Rock Island in northwestern Illinois highlights the cultural and natural resources of the Quad Cities, which span the Mississippi River in Illinois and Iowa. The site features several historic buildings, including the Watch Tower Lodge, the Hauberg Museum (which tells the story of the Sauk and Meskwaki people who inhabited the region), and the Refectory (home to a permanent exhibit on the Civilian Conservation Corps and their work at the site.)

Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

The only National Park located on the Great River Road (there are several National Monuments and other National Park Service sites, however), Gateway Arch National Park is an iconic attraction that towers 600 feet over the Mississippi River in St. Louis. While the Arch itself is the star attraction, the park is also home to the Museum of Westward Expansion, which includes many unique artifacts, including items from the famed Lewis & Clark expedition.

(Photo: Gateway Arch National Park/Brittney Butler on Unsplash)