Tag: Mississippi River

History Lives Along the Lower Mississippi River

Our room rivaled those in many an upscale hotel. Food and table settings were five-star. The list of activities in our temporary home-away-from-home covered a diversity of interests. We had opportunities to explore inviting towns that provided deep dives into Civil War and other history and to visit magnificent antebellum plantations. Adding to the allure…


Shipboard and Shore Excursion Fun on the Mississippi 

I’ve been on several boat trips—a barge cruise in France, a Danube River cruise, a sail along the Nile—and always the accommodations have been lovely. Sometimes very lovely. But it took a Mississippi River cruise from Memphis to New Orleans with American Cruise Lines to reach luxurious. “Stateroom” doesn’t adequately describe the accommodations on the…


Commercial Barge Lines Struggle As Drought-Stricken Mississippi River Levels Plummet

OSCEOLA, Arkansas—Jeff Worsham is a realist regarding the weather because he believes what he sees. That the regional drought is a bad one, getting worse, is beyond dispute. The Mississippi River is at the lowest it’s been in decades, he said. Worse, the barges are backing up because of it, running aground, and wreaking havoc…


19th Century Sunken Ship Revealed by Low Water Levels in Mississippi River

BATON ROUGE, Lousiana—An old Cajun memory of the Mississippi River has been uncovered by lowered water levels amid the worst drought the area has seen in a decade. A sunken ship from the 19th century emerged as the drought persisted, bringing to light what was once known as the S.S. (Steam Ship) Brookhill commercial ferry…