Situated on what is now a small peninsula between the Mississippi and Wolf Rivers, Mud Island River Park plays host to this scale model of the lower Mississippi River Valley. Corps of Engineers surveys and navigational charts aided in the development of this interactive contour relief map that displays the wanderings of the Mississippi River from its headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico.
The journey begins at four vertical stone waterfall watershed maps. Each map depicts one of the three primary river systems contributing to the drainage of the river, the Arkansas/White, Tennessee/Ohio and Missouri Rivers; the fourth dedicated to the Upper Mississippi River.
At the confluence of the great river with the Ohio River at Cairo the model goes horizontal, continuing to carry the water and contributions along the scaled 1,000-mile route represented by topographic impressions equal to 5 feet in vertical depth. Smaller bunkers, representing minor watersheds contribute from their associated locations, concluding the epic journey at a one-acre, 1.6 million gallon enclosure representing the Gulf of Mexico.
Various points of interest dot the 2,000-foot trail, with twenty cities laid out at their appropriate locations. Memphis and New Orleans show the most detail, with the extent of their urban sprawl along with historic neighborhoods. There is even a scaled version of Lake Pontchartrain along the northern edge of the city of New Orleans.
Signs provide information about historical events and other geographic information and transformations. In addition, small walking bridges enable access back and forth across the Mighty Mississippi; that is, unless you are young at heart and would rather just wade or splash your way across. On a hot Memphis day, you are very likely to see many folks doing just that, or touring around the Gulf in a paddleboat.
The park also hosts the Mississippi River Museum, presenting various interpretations of history and life along the lower river valley throughout its history. In addition, a little further downstream, a 5,000-seat amphitheater plays host to a variety of guest performances during the summer.
Access to the park is still free at the time of this writing. The Museum is not. A Monorail crosses Wolf River Harbor, but there is a fee for that too. If you are not averse to a little stair climbing and walking, pass up the Monorail ticket booth and head up the stairs and cross the harbor using the bridge the tops off the Monorail link.
