The Mississippi Valley Traveler Podcast
History

The Mississippi Valley Traveler Podcast

by Dean Klinkenberg

The Mississippi River has cut a deep path through the heart of America for thousands of years, but how well do we really know the river beyond Huck Finn and headline-grabbing floods? In this podcast, Dean Klinkenberg wades into stories about the characters and places from the big river’s past and present.

73 episodes
EN-US language
All Episodes
1
The Power of Story: How Cahokia Became North America's Greatest City, with Dr. Julie Zimmerman
1:18:15 Mar 18, 2026
2
Wild at Heart: The Natural World of the Lower Mississippi with Jack Killgore
1:04:49 Mar 4, 2026
3
Preview of 2026 Mississippi Valley Traveler Podcast Season
1:52 Feb 25, 2026
4
Beyond Plantations: Getting to Know Louisiana’s River Road
1:08:07 Nov 5, 2025
5
A French Village in the American Heartland: Historian Jim Gass on Sainte Genevieve, Missouri
1:18:46 Oct 22, 2025
6
Learning the Language of the Mississippi River with John Ruskey
1:12:47 Oct 8, 2025
7
The Mississippi’s Forgotten People: Life on Shantyboats and the Margins of American Society
1:20:32 Sep 10, 2025
8
Beyond Mark Twain: Faye Dant on Hannibal's African American Stories
1:08:10 Jul 30, 2025
9
Tips for Traveling the Great River Road, Part 2
1:04:27 Jul 16, 2025
10
Tips for Traveling the Great River Road, Part 1
1:04:27 Jul 2, 2025
11
The Missouri River, Part 2: Channelization, Community, and Recreation
48:44 Jun 18, 2025
12
The Missouri River, Part 1: Geography, Ecology, and Human Impacts
58:01 Jun 4, 2025
13
The First National Mississippi River Day: Building Community Around the Big River
47:08 May 28, 2025
14
River to Table: Chef Josh Galliano on Campfire Cooking
1:02:46 May 21, 2025
15
Murder on the Mississippi: Frank Dodge Explores Identity and Deception on the River
26:26 Apr 2, 2025
16
From Roots to Routes: Making the Leap to Full-Time RV Life
1:00:16 Mar 12, 2025
17
Holding Back the Waters: The Upper Mississippi Flood of 1965
36:40 Feb 26, 2025
18
Before MLK: Iowa's 19th-Century Civil Rights Pioneers
25:21 Feb 12, 2025
19
Uncharted Currents: Jon Kukuk on Growing Up in a Small Town Next to the Mississippi River
1:14:20 Jan 29, 2025
20
Trash Talk: Inside America's Largest River Cleanup Organization, Living Lands & Waters
1:03:57 Jan 15, 2025
21
River Songs & Gratitude: Wrapping up 2024
17:23 Nov 27, 2024
22
What Can the Mississippi’s Past Tell Us About Its Future? A Conversation with Historian John Anfinson
1:11:02 Nov 6, 2024
23
Traveling the Mississippi One Week at a Time: Anne Sherve-Ose's 13-Year Journey Down the River
50:29 Oct 23, 2024
24
The Dark Side of Steamboat Travel: The Disasters that Claimed Thousands of Lives on the Mississippi River
43:07 Oct 9, 2024
25
Much More than Snakes: The Unexpected Beauty and Unique Ecology of Snake Road
1:13:07 Sep 25, 2024
26
Explorers, Egos, and the Search for the Elusive Mississippi River Headwaters
35:48 Sep 11, 2024
27
Winged Wonders: Unraveling the Mysteries of Dragonflies and Damselflies
43:15 Aug 28, 2024
28
When Change is Possible: General John A. Logan’s Journey from Defending Slavery to Advocating for Equal Rights
1:06:03 Jul 31, 2024
29
Iron and Immigrants: The Mesabi Range Story with Aaron Brown
1:16:10 Jul 17, 2024
30
Outdoor Enthusiasm: Will Collins' Irrepressible Spirit for Adventure
1:05:23 Jul 3, 2024
31
Mississippi River Monsters
45:50 Jun 19, 2024
32
Boyce Upholt on the Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi River
1:09:58 Jun 5, 2024
33
A Refuge for All: 100 Years of Conservation and Recreation at the Upper Mississippi Refuge
1:09:05 May 22, 2024
34
Trouble in River City: Kevin Klinkenberg on Why So Many Communities Are Struggling
1:07:31 May 15, 2024
35
Introducing The Wild Mississippi: Your Guide to Understanding and Experiencing the Natural World of Old Man River
32:12 Apr 24, 2024
36
Crooked Old River: Trapper Haskins' Mississippi River Voyage
1:14:00 Apr 10, 2024
37
The Fight for the Upper Mississippi: Steven Marking on Will Dilg and the Birth of a Refuge
56:50 Mar 27, 2024
38
Flowing with Creativity: Sculptor Florence Bird and the Mississippi River
36:14 Mar 14, 2024
39
Eclipse 2024: Getting the Most from the Experience in Missouri and Illinois
56:44 Feb 28, 2024
40
Ripples Through Time: River Travelers Take Us to the Mississippi’s Past and Present
41:05 Feb 14, 2024
41
Steering Through the Currents: Lee Hendrix's Life Working on the Mississippi River
1:14:03 Jan 31, 2024
42
The River Life: Five Women Discuss Their Paths and Passions as Mississippi River Guides
1:18:59 Nov 22, 2023
43
The Storm that Took the Midwest by Surprise: Armistice Day's Deadly Blizzard
35:08 Nov 1, 2023
44
Understanding the True Costs and Real Risks of Levees with Nicholas Pinter
1:02:44 Oct 18, 2023
45
Wolves in Myth and Reality with Matt Fox
1:01:14 Oct 4, 2023
46
Cruising the Culinary Mississippi: A Conversation with Chef Regina Charboneau
1:02:52 Sep 20, 2023
47
Cafe Connections: Finding Community and Connection Along the Great River Road
37:02 Aug 23, 2023
48
Navigating Stormy Waters, Part 2: General Galloway on Flood Policy 30 Years after the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1993
46:43 Aug 9, 2023
49
Navigating Stormy Waters: General Galloway on Flood Policy 30 Years after the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1993, Part 1
54:16 Jul 26, 2023
50
Swamp Whisperer: Going Deep into Honey Island with Guide Jessica Gauley
43:44 Jul 12, 2023
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