Writer/artists Harold Speakman and  Frances “Russell” Speakman traveled  the length of  the Mississippi in 1925. Their illustrated narrative of the journey includes paintings, sketches and drawings by both Speakmans. It was published in 1927 as Mostly Mississippi, A Very Damp Adventure.

I discovered the Speakmans through an article in Big River Magazine. I was drawn to a hand-drawn map that includes Winona, Minnesota, my Mississippi River town in SE Minnesota and numerous Mississippi River cities I have visited.   Their tales and artwork recount their journey, first by canoe, later by houseboat. There are stories of  interesting and diverse people they met as they traveled from the headwaters of the Mississippi in Minnesota to New Orleans.  It is a glimpse back to another time.

Do you know anyone who has traveled the length of the Mississippi by boat? 

Selected art work is included in this album.  For a list of images of all images go to image 13 in the book.  Use gallery view for a quick view of pages.

Big River, March-April 2022.
Mostly Mississippi was republished in 2004 by the University of Minnesota Press.

  6 - 8    9 - 12    Social Studies/History     Mississippi River    Art/Music