Bordering or flowing through ten states, "Ol' Man River" meanders southward through the United States, from its headwaters in Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. This wonderful book takes readers along the mighty Mississippi. Often celebrated in music and literature, its exploration by explorers spurred the growth of a new nation. Today, the Mississippi not only provides transportation for agricultural and industrial goods but also supplies water for millions of people. Informative text also addresses human efforts to tame the Mississippi. Dams and levees have not eliminated destructive floods and have caused pollution and destroyed wildlife habitats.