Whose view? From where? October 2009
Hands down, this was the most popular month ever for Whose View, with a record 14 entries (and 14 correct guesses) for the photo. And though we knew this was a key place on the river, we thought the landscape was relatively devoid of any readily-identifiable landmarks, and thus might not be altogether easy. Well, youve proved us wrong, and wowed us with your visual recognition skills in the process!
Congratulations to all! Here are your often insightful personal observations:
I'm going to take a stab and say it's the confluence of the Mississippi and the muddy Minnesota. The sediment laden water of the latter appears to be the reason for the different appearance of the water. Of course, Historic Fort Snelling was the forerunner of eventual development in the area.
- Ron Middlestaedt
This is the downstream end of Pike Island, showing the plume of sediment coming from the Minnesota River from the left joining much less turbid water of the Mississippi River. Seems like it must be from the condos along Highway 13 in Mendota Heights, just west of 35E.
- Julie Maxson
This picture looks like the view from the south shore at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, looking north towards Pike Island. The Minnesota river (on the left) is darker brown than the Mississippi.
- John Levenick
I believe this is Pike Island viewed from the Mendota side of the river. The point of Pike Island is especially important to my husband and I because we were married there on July 3, 2009!
- Kelli McCully
The picture is of the confluence of the Minnesota River (foreground) with the Mississippi River. Probably taken from the Big Rivers Trail in Mendota Heights toward Crosby Farm Regional Park, with Pike Island on the left. This is easy to tell from the distinctive muddy water of the Minnesota River.
In contrast, the first bathing beach at Harriet Island, just downsteam from this confluence, was established in 1900 due to the crystal clear water from the Minnesota River hugging the right bank and reaching the beach. The beach was closed in 1920 because pollution of both the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers had reached the point that made it unhealthy to swimmers.
- Brian Tourtelotte
View is looking upstream at mile 844.0 rdb. looks like the dayboard is missing from the foot of Pike Island, and water stage is relatively high. Brown water on bottom & left of photo is MN River, darker appearing water at top & right of photo is the Mississippi. Right where the fishing boat is is a good spot to catch gizzard shad.
- Hokan Miller
I believe this view is from the Big Rivers Regional Trail (Lilydale) of Pike Island and the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Personally, this view is significant to me for the incredible historical signficance of this place AND for all that the concept of "confluence" conjures up in my spirit. I'm especially inspired by the confluence of natural and urban which is so present throughout this stretch of the Miss River. Thanks for all of the work you do, FMR!
- Beth Landahl
This is a picture of the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota from the bluffs at Lilydale. You can see the difference in water clarity of the Mississippi coming in from the top of the picture and the Minnesota coming in from the left. The land at the point between the two rivers is Pike Island. The water flowing behind the island is sometimes Minnesota water and sometimes Mississippi water making the island an orphan, not belonging to either river.
- Eric Otterness
This is the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers at the tip of Pike Island. The historic mouth of the Minnesota River is North of todays constructed mouth and lay along the base of the bluff below Ft. Snelling. Fort Snelling was built on the bluff above the Minnesota and Mississippi River confluence to stand guard over anyone traveling up or down the Minnesota River that at that time was the principle transportation corridor into the vast prairies of the Minnesota River Basin.
- Mike Davis
This is the confluence of the Minnesota R with the Mississippi. It is important to me because I bike past it frequently on the trail. It is significant culturally to the Native Americans of the area and environmentally because it demonstrates the problem of river pollution from farm runoff shown by the color difference of the two rivers.
- Gary Fifield
This looks like the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers at Pike Island/Fort Snelling State Park. The Minnesota is the muddy looking river while the Mississippi looks darker. The MN River carries a lot of sediment and other run-off which degrades the water quality of the Mississippi significantly.
- Kathy Swenson
Is it a view of the Mississippi looking north with Fort Snelling State Park on the left and Hidden Falls Park on the right?
- Catherine Benson
I believe the view is of the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The view is from the Big Rivers Bluff Trail in Dakota County. The trail is rich in in the telling of it's history on markers along the way as you walk above the Mississippi. The difference in the care given to both rivers seems evident in the Minnesota River's composition.
- Dot Drake
About Whose view? From where?
Each month in this section, we feature a photo somewhere along the river corridor in the Twin Cities that is in some way significant or important or just plain scenic. Individuals may then e-mail us and identify the view and explain why they believe it is significant to the community or important to them personally. Well publish some of your responses in the next issue of Mississippi Messages, where we will also reveal the correct answer.
To submit your guess and response, e-mail Bob Spaulding, River Advocate, through our contact form. The respondent to provide the first correct identification of the view and hopefully some interesting thoughts about its significance will receive a valuable prize for their effort. All entries must be received by the first day of the following month for consideration.