The Great River

The Mississippi River is the defining feature of the Delta. Forming the western border of the region, it has created some of the most fertile soil in the world. The river has also brought hardship, notably the 1927 flood, the most destructive in U.S. history. The flood was memorialized in Charley Patton's classic blues High Water Everywhere: "So high the water was risin' our men sinkin' down / Man, the water was risin' at places all around." This tragedy kicked off the Great Migration upriver to northern industrial cities - see our Explore and Learn feature and our virtual field trip.

Learn more about this "most southern place on earth" from one of our partners, the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, which offers The Great River Road - a historic, scenic drive that traces the river's course through 10 states over 3,000 miles. The Delta Blues Museum is an official Great River Road Interpretive Center. And check out our Gift Shop for river-related souvenirs, from CDs and books to posters and tees.