Professional experience: Historian and Cultural Resources Specialist, National Park Service, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, since June 2000; District Historian, St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers, 1980-2000 (Chief, District Cultural Resources Staff 1997-2000).

Education: B.A., History and Anthropology, M.A. and Ph.D., History, University of Minnesota.

Member of FMR Board since: 1994

Board committees: Policy and Planning

Hobbies: “The Mississippi and my kids.” Attending children's school events (freshman and senior in high school). Trying to research and write on the history of the Mississippi, and start on another river book. John is the author of The River We Have Wrought: A History of the Upper Mississippi (University of Minnesota Press, 2005) and an author of River of History: A Historic Resources Study of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (2003).

Interesting book: River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey, by Candice Millard.

Favorite Mississippi River location: Favorite historical site: the Meeker Island Lock and Dam Site. Favorite aesthetic site — Urban: Mounds Park because of the viewshed of Saint Paul and the floodplain. Rural: Pine Bend Scientific and Natural Area.

Favorite animal: “My cat Sweet Pea, a tabby.”

Last memorable vacation: Grand Canyon two-week training course in 2005. On the weekend off, John hiked down into the canyon.

Conservation/Environmental heroes: Will Dilg, the primary author of the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Read more…