Historic photos: sights along the Mississippi River

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

It’s hard to visit America’s greatest river without wanting to take a few photos—and the same was true a century ago. Here’s a collection of historic photos from along the Mississippi that show what the river looked like in days past. While a lot has changed on the route since these photos were taken, the river is as impressive today as it was in the steamboat era. If you’ve traveled the route before, you may even recognize some of these spots.


Steamboats in New Orleans, 1890

Steamboats in New Orleans, 1890


Eagle Point Bridge, Dubuque, Iowa, 1960s.

Eagle Point Bridge, Dubuque, Iowa, 1960s.


Jackson Street, St. Paul, Minn., 1905

Jackson Street, St. Paul, Minn., 1905


Riverboat near Vicksburg, Miss., 1936

Riverboat near Vicksburg, Miss., 1936


Lake Itasca - Mississippi River headwaters, 1936

Lake Itasca – Mississippi River headwaters, 1936


New Orleans levee, 1903

New Orleans levee, 1903


 Family at Dyess Colony, Arkansas, 1935

Family at Dyess Colony, Arkansas, 1935


Memphis sunset, 1900

Memphis sunset, 1900


New Orleans panorama, 1910

New Orleans panorama, 1910


Eads Bridge, St Louis, late 1960s

Eads Bridge, St Louis, late 1960s

Related Articles

Return to blog