The Upper Mississippi
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:30 pm
While the American Queen Steamboat Company visits a number of other ports of call, the Mighty Mississippi seems to be most associated with the destinations dotting its southern half. When most people think of traveling along the Mississippi River, they think of the traditional destinations such as New Orleans, LA; Natchez, MS; Memphis, TN; Hannibal, MO and St. Louis, MO. It’s easy to forget there’s a glorious stretch of the river extending from St. Louis northward to Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN that is just as wondrous as the southern route.
One of the treats along the Upper Mississippi is Lake Pepin, a surprisingly large body of water encompassing the Mississippi River. Lake Pepin is the widest natural part of the river and stretches from Red Wing, WI down to Wabasha, MN in the south, encompassing the town of Pepin, WI, the hometown of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie book series based on her childhood in Pepin. The lake is about 60 miles from St. Paul, MN and forms part of the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin. It was created thanks to sedimentary deposits carried by the Chippewa River which formed a natural dam, creating Lake Pepin behind. The lake itself covers about 40 square miles and is, on average, 18 feet deep. Many are surprised to learn it is the largest lake on the Mississippi River.
The lake’s modern history stretches back to the early 1700s. A map by Guillaume Delisle commissioned by King Louis XIV in 1703 documented the lake in an area known as New France. The origins of the name are not certain, but it is commonly believed that it was named after Charlemagne’s father, Pépin le Bref. By 1786, Fort Saint Antoine had been built to advance the fur trade, six decades after Fort Beauharnois solidified French claims to the area.
The lake has quite a bit of history. Tragically, it was the site of the capsizing of the ferry Sea Wing in 1890, one of the worst accidents on the Mississippi. Lake City became known as the birthplace of water skiing in 1922 when Ralph Samuelson first had the idea of towing a person standing on wooden planks behind a boat. While there are channel markers and many other navigational aids along the extent of the Mississippi River, the only lighthouse is located here on Lake Pepin at the entrance to the Lake City Marina.
But some history relies more on legend than fact. Supposedly, Lake Pepin is home to Pepie, a lake monster first spotted back in 1871 and rarely seen since. According to the creature’s website at www.pepie.net (yes, a mythical monster has its own website), Pepie’s origins extend far earlier than 1871:“The native Dakota people that lived in the area refused to travel on Lake Pepin in bark canoes because of the large creatures that would rise from the depths of the lake and puncture the thin bark skin of those canoes. They would only travel on Lake Pepin in stouter dugout canoes that were made by hollowing out a large log.”
We have several voyages that take in Lake Pepin and two of our most popular are an 11-day journey from St. Louis to Minneapolis/St. Paul from August 21-13, 2013, and a 9-day return journey to St. Louis from August 30-September 7, 2013. Like all of our voyages, each trip includes a complimentary deluxe hotel stay the night before you board the American Queen. These particular trips are so popular because not only are they themed around the idea of the Good Old Summertime we remember from our childhood, but if you reserve your stateroom before March 31, 2013, you will receive savings of up to $750 per stateroom and a Stateroom Category Upgrade.
So join us for an unforgettable vacation as you see the beauty of the Upper Mississippi up-close and in-depth. If you keep your eyes peeled, you just might be one of the few to catch a glimpse of the mystical Pepie lake creature! You are more likely to spot more abundant wildlife like bald eagles.
One of the treats along the Upper Mississippi is Lake Pepin, a surprisingly large body of water encompassing the Mississippi River. Lake Pepin is the widest natural part of the river and stretches from Red Wing, WI down to Wabasha, MN in the south, encompassing the town of Pepin, WI, the hometown of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie book series based on her childhood in Pepin. The lake is about 60 miles from St. Paul, MN and forms part of the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin. It was created thanks to sedimentary deposits carried by the Chippewa River which formed a natural dam, creating Lake Pepin behind. The lake itself covers about 40 square miles and is, on average, 18 feet deep. Many are surprised to learn it is the largest lake on the Mississippi River.
The lake’s modern history stretches back to the early 1700s. A map by Guillaume Delisle commissioned by King Louis XIV in 1703 documented the lake in an area known as New France. The origins of the name are not certain, but it is commonly believed that it was named after Charlemagne’s father, Pépin le Bref. By 1786, Fort Saint Antoine had been built to advance the fur trade, six decades after Fort Beauharnois solidified French claims to the area.
The lake has quite a bit of history. Tragically, it was the site of the capsizing of the ferry Sea Wing in 1890, one of the worst accidents on the Mississippi. Lake City became known as the birthplace of water skiing in 1922 when Ralph Samuelson first had the idea of towing a person standing on wooden planks behind a boat. While there are channel markers and many other navigational aids along the extent of the Mississippi River, the only lighthouse is located here on Lake Pepin at the entrance to the Lake City Marina.
But some history relies more on legend than fact. Supposedly, Lake Pepin is home to Pepie, a lake monster first spotted back in 1871 and rarely seen since. According to the creature’s website at www.pepie.net (yes, a mythical monster has its own website), Pepie’s origins extend far earlier than 1871:“The native Dakota people that lived in the area refused to travel on Lake Pepin in bark canoes because of the large creatures that would rise from the depths of the lake and puncture the thin bark skin of those canoes. They would only travel on Lake Pepin in stouter dugout canoes that were made by hollowing out a large log.”
We have several voyages that take in Lake Pepin and two of our most popular are an 11-day journey from St. Louis to Minneapolis/St. Paul from August 21-13, 2013, and a 9-day return journey to St. Louis from August 30-September 7, 2013. Like all of our voyages, each trip includes a complimentary deluxe hotel stay the night before you board the American Queen. These particular trips are so popular because not only are they themed around the idea of the Good Old Summertime we remember from our childhood, but if you reserve your stateroom before March 31, 2013, you will receive savings of up to $750 per stateroom and a Stateroom Category Upgrade.
So join us for an unforgettable vacation as you see the beauty of the Upper Mississippi up-close and in-depth. If you keep your eyes peeled, you just might be one of the few to catch a glimpse of the mystical Pepie lake creature! You are more likely to spot more abundant wildlife like bald eagles.