Take Minnesota’s Great River Road for a Journey into America’s History
Experience history on the road and on the river with a special road trip itinerary
For immediate release
Dated: August 13, 2026
Contacts:
Allison Ortiz, 651-259-3051, allison.ortiz@mnhs.org or Andrew George, 651-297- 7143, andrew.george@lcc.mn.gov
ST. PAUL, Minn. (August 13, 2026) – This fall, take the Great River Road to Minnesota places that have made a difference to America. To commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday, Minnesotans are encouraged to consider how the Mississippi River played a key role in our country’s history before and after the revolution.
For Drive the Great River Road Month in September, the Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission and the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) have teamed up to create a special Great River Road road trip itinerary highlighting the river’s role in our country’s history.
The itinerary will be released at a media briefing to be held at one of the most pivotal places in Minnesota’s history: Historic Fort Snelling, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Featured speakers include Senator Karin Housley, Chair of the MN MRPC; MNHS Director and CEO Kent Whitworth; and Dr. John Anfinson, Mississippi River historian and Chair of the Ten-State Great River Road.
What: Drive the Great River Road Month Kickoff
Where: Historic Fort Snelling, 200 Tower Ave, St. Paul
When: Thursday, August 20, 2026, 10:30 am
Please join us to learn about this special itinerary and what Minnesotans can learn by driving the Great River Road this September (and beyond!). Contact allison.ortiz@mnhs.org to attend.
About the About the Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission
Minnesota’s Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MN-MRPC) is a statutory Commission, recognized in 1963, whose mission is…To preserve, promote and enhance the scenic, historic, and recreational resources of the Mississippi River, to foster economic growth in the corridor and to develop the national, scenic, and historic byway known as the Great River Road. The MN-MPRC is part of the larger 10-State National MRPC organized in 1938 to celebrate the Mississippi River by promoting the federally designated Great River Road Scenic Byway and All-American Road. The 10 states are: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.