Great Mississippi River Road - Louisiana

The Great Mississippi River is not as much a road in the conventional interstate sort of way, but is a region in the United States that stretches along the length of the Mississippi River through ten states and two Canadian provinces. These series of roads, dating back to 1938, start by the shores of the Mississippi River in Louisiana and work their way up more than 2000 miles to the Manitoba and Ontario provinces.

The Mississippi River has forever been a link between people, cultures, and commerce. With towns and cities sprung up all along its shores, the river provided access to trade and transportation, as well as valuable resources that made it possible for Native American, French, and Americans to prosper throughout history. In Louisiana, the French used the banks of the Mississippi River for trapping beavers (for fur) and as a jumping off point for exploration and trade. Later, during the Civil War, the Great Mississippi River Road became the site of many battles and nation-shaping events.

Today, you can still see ruins that date back to the Houmas Indians' dwellings, sugar plantations, and Civil War battlefields, as well as Greek Revival style white pillared homes and Creole homes set on the lush shores of the "Father of Waters". You can visit some of these homes as well as some of the Interpretive Centers along the way, like the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans, the Poverty Point State Historic Site in Pioneer, and the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site in Plaquemine, as well as many others.

It's no wonder that the Mississippi River is considered America's first interstate; and now with a network of roads surrounding the great river, the Mississippi continues to thrive as a historic byway through our nation.