Itasca

 

(ītăs'kə) , shallow lake, 2 sq mi (5.2 sq km), in a pine-wooded swampy region, NW Minn. Henry R. Schoolcraft identified the lake (1832) as the source of the Mississippi; stepping stones cross the river at its exit point. Although inarguably the source of the named river, the river's true physical course has been disputed by geographers. In 1891 the region was included in a state park, which has a historical and natural history museum. A school of forestry and a biological research station are nearby.

Lake Itasca
The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca
Coordinates	47°13′05″N, 95°12′26″WCoordinates: 47°13′05″N, 95°12′26″W
Lake type	glacial
Primary sources	Nicolett Creek, Elk Lake outlet stream
Primary outflows	Mississippi River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	1.8 square miles (4.7 km²)
Average depth	20-35 feet (6-11 m)
Surface elevation	1,475 feet (450 m)
Islands	Schoolcraft Island

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"[1],., coined from a combination of the Latin words veritas ("truth") and caput ("head").^[1][2] 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.

See also

• List of Minnesota lakes

References

External links

• Lake Itasca

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