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. Pronunced Itica in which the s is silent. 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. Image File history File links The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... For other uses, see Lake (disambiguation). ... The Seven Rila Lakes in Rila, Bulgaria are typical representatives of lakes with glacial origin A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. ... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... The Seven Rila Lakes in Rila, Bulgaria are typical representatives of lakes with glacial origin A glacial lake is a lake with origins in a melted glacier. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... River Wey near its source at Farringdon, Hampshire Headstream is the origin of water flow that initiates the subject watercourse. ... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... Clearwater County is a county located in the state of Minnesota. ... The source of the Mississippi River on the edge of Lake Itasca Itasca State Park is a state park in Minnesota, United States, and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River. ...

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. Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Henry Schoolcraft Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793–December 10, 1864) was an American geographer, geologist, and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his discovery in 1832 of the source of the Mississippi River. ... Year 1832 (MDCCCXXXII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782 – June 17, 1866) was an American military officer and politician. ... Cass Lake is a glacially-formed lake, approximately 25 sq. ... The Anishinaabe language or the Ojibwe group of languages or Anishinaabemowin in Eastern Ojibwe syllabics) is the third most commonly spoken Native language in Canada (after Cree and Inuktitut), and the fourth most spoken in North America (behind Navajo, Cree, and Inuktitut). ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ...

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. In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks. ... The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known as the [[. In East Asia, the rise of militarism occurred. ... CCC workers on road construction, Camp Euclid, Ohio 1936 The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a work relief program for young men from unemployed families, established on March 19, 1933 by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... A rapid is a section of a river where it loses elevation over a relatively short distance (that is, the stream gradient is locally steepened), causing an increase in water flow and (usually) turbulence. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ...

Lake Itasca and Elk Lake

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. Lake Itasca Based on USGS public domain satellite photo. ... Lake Itasca Based on USGS public domain satellite photo. ... Year 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

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. Jacob Vandenberg Brower (1844-1905) was a prolific writer of the Upper Midwest region of the United States who championed the location and protection of the utmost headwaters of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. ...

See also

• List of Minnesota lakes

This is a list of Minnesota lakes. ...

References

Warren Upham (b. ... The Minnesota Historical Society is a Minnesota instutution dedicated to preserving the history of the state. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Lake Itasca