Maps

Evolving path of the Mississippi River

Sep 15, 2010

We often think of rivers as following a given path for the course of its life, but really, the path changes over time as the flow cuts into the earth. The water flows through old and new and back again. In 1944, cartographer Harold Fisk mapped the current Mississippi River. It’s the white trail. Then Fisk used old geological maps to display old paths. They’re the old colored paths. And what you get is this long run of windy, snake-like things. [Twisted History | Thanks, Michael]

10 Comments

nick gogerty — September 15, 2010 at 5:57 am

Great map. All things change.
Mark — September 15, 2010 at 6:07 am

Ha. Flowing data. Geddit?
Will — September 15, 2010 at 8:30 am

Make sure you click into the source site. The individual map pages connected to show the whole river was a real pleasant surprise.
Scott — September 16, 2010 at 9:14 am

There’s just something special about knowing a person made this incredible data-rich series with pen and ink (and other printing processes along the way). Every survey section line, French long lot boundary, road way, contour line and label was seemingly added with care.
JonS — September 17, 2010 at 11:07 pm

“We often think of rivers as following a given path for the course of its life” – if that is the case I really do worry about designers’ ability to conceptual what hey visualise. Time and time again we see infographics poorly conceived an executed because the author doesn’t understand the phenomenon (and frequently the data) they are working on. Designers need to learn more about the methodologies used to capture, process and analyse the data they work with.
Tom — September 18, 2010 at 8:30 am

Love the map. Back in my early days as a geologist, I learned you never really learn the landscape until you make the map yourself, by hand. The topic reminds me of one of my favorite books: The Control of Nature, by John McPhee. The first section is titled Atchafalaya and covers some of the history and fluvial dynamics that shape the Mississippi River, written in a charming and accessible style.
Andra — September 21, 2010 at 10:32 am

Does anyone know where you can buy reproductions of these Fisk maps… they are so beautiful. I want to hang them on my walls.
R Simmon — September 21, 2010 at 12:35 pm

The old meanders are visible in satellite data, too:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=6887

You can download high-res TIFFs of the maps here:
http://lmvmapping.erdc.usace.army.mil/index.htm
tom brakke — September 23, 2010 at 6:10 am

Just wonderful. I used Fisk’s work as a reference to the old paths and new paths that are found in the investment markets.
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