Shows
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastBeyond Plantations: Getting to Know Louisiana’s River RoadSend us a textMary Ann Sternberg has spent twenty years challenging the idea that the River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is nothing more than rows of noxious chemical plants interspersed with 19th century plantation houses, so in this episode, we dig into its past and present. Mary Ann begins by orienting us to the geography of the River Road and the region’s indigenous inhabitants. She describes the arrival of European settlers, which included an influx of Germans in the early 1700s. We talk about the role of the Mississippi River in the da...
2025-11-051h 08
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastA French Village in the American Heartland: Historian Jim Gass on Sainte Genevieve, MissouriSend us a textIn this episode, I talk with Jim Gass, Director of Research and Education at the Centre for French Colonial Life, about the long and rich history of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri. We begin with a discussion of what we know about the indigenous people who lived in the area before Europeans arrived, then talk about the French settlers who moved into the region in the 18th century. Jim describes their daily lives, the crops they grew, connections to other early settlements (including New Orleans), and how they had fun. We then talk about the...
2025-10-221h 18
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastLearning the Language of the Mississippi River with John RuskeySend us a textIn this episode, I interview long-time river guide and Sage of the Lower Mississippi, John Ruskey. John has been guiding and living on the Mississippi for nearly 30 years, so I start by letting him describe the Lower Mississippi River that he knows. We talk about some of the river’s characteristics that make it a special place, including its vastness, its extreme variations from high water to low water, and the diversity of life it supports. Still, John emphasizes that to get to know the river, to learn its language, we have to be...
2025-10-081h 12
The Messy City PodcastEpisode 100: What is Your "Why?"I’ve been an avid podcast listener since the early days of podcasting. It’s probably one area where I was a bit of an early adopter for technology. My guess is this is in part due to the fact that I grew up listening to a lot of radio, especially radio shows in the car when my parents were driving. So I suppose you can say I’ve always been interested in the audio side of conversations and entertainment.Back a few years ago, my brother finally nudged me into trying to do a podcast, after he’d g...
2025-10-071h 46
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastThe Mississippi’s Forgotten People: Life on Shantyboats and the Margins of American SocietySend us a textA hundred years ago, shantyboat communities could be found along many rivers in the US. Historian Gregg Andrews went in-depth to research these communities, inspired in part by the discovery of a personal connection to them, which resulted in a book called “Shantyboats and Roustabouts: The River Poor of St. Louis, 1875 to 1930.” In this episode, I talk with Gregg about those shantyboat communities. After Gregg describes how he got interested in shantyboat communities, he describes what a shantyboat was and who lived in them, what it was like to live in one of thes...
2025-09-101h 20
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastBeyond Mark Twain: Faye Dant on Hannibal's African American StoriesSend us a textYou probably know a little bit about Hannibal, Missouri, because of the books written by a guy named Mark Twain, but I bet you don’t know much about the history of African Americans who’ve lived in Hannibal, even though Hannibal has had African American residents from its earliest days. I didn’t until I talked with Faye Dant, founder of a Hannibal museum called Jim’s Journey. In this episode, Dant fills me in on the history that’s been hard to come by. We talk about her deep family roots...
2025-07-301h 08
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastTips for Traveling the Great River Road, Part 2Send us a textOur summer road trip down the Great River Road continues in this episode. We start just after Lake Pepin and make our way to the Mississippi’s confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. Along the way, I’ll comment on the following places: the Upper Mississippi River National Fish & Wildlife Refuge; Winona, Minnesota; in Wisconsin: Alma, Fountain City, La Crosse, and Prairie du Chien; Dubuque, Iowa, and Galena, Illinois; the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa; in southeast Iowa: Muscatine, Burlington, Fort Madison, and Keokuk; in Illinois: Nauvoo, Quincy, Grafton, Alton, Ches...
2025-07-161h 04
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastTips for Traveling the Great River Road, Part 1Send us a textIt’s summer and many of y’all will be hitting the road to travel and see something new (or revisit places you enjoy). I haven’t done a travel-themed podcast in a while, so in the next couple of episodes, I’m going to go over the highlights of driving the Great River Road. In this episode, I start with an overview of what to expect from the drive plus some overall highlights. Then, I start a north to south trek down the Great River Road from Itasca State Park and ending at Lake...
2025-07-021h 04
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastThe Missouri River, Part 2: Channelization, Community, and RecreationSend us a textIn this episode, we continue our detour along the Missouri River with part 2 of my conversation with Steve Schnarr from Missouri River Relief. In part two, Steve describes the process the Corps of Engineers used to channelize the river, how it changed the river, what we lost, and how some folks gained new land. He talks about a Missouri River bridge that was built over land, and about the hopes for commercial navigation on the Missouri River that just never seem to realize. We talk about the growing community of Missouri R...
2025-06-1848 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastThe Missouri River, Part 1: Geography, Ecology, and Human ImpactsSend us a textIn this episode, we detour off the main channel of the Mississippi River to get to know its longest tributary: the Missouri River. Our guide for this exploration is Steve Schnarr, Race Director for Missouri River Relief. We covered a lot of territory (like the Missouri River), so our conversation is split between two episodes. In this one, part one, we cover some of the basics of the river’s geography, including where it begins and how long it is. Steve describes what we know of the ecology of the natural river, including wh...
2025-06-0458 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastThe First National Mississippi River Day: Building Community Around the Big RiverSend us a textFebruary 1 is National Baked Alaska Day. April 14 is National Ex-Spouse Day, but April 22 marks Earth Day. We’ve had these (and more!) national days celebrating things silly and crucial, but we’ve never had a National Mississippi River Day. Until this year. It’s long overdue. On June 2, we’ll celebrate the first National Mississippi River Day. In this episode, I talk with Michael Anderson, the Director of Outreach and Education for One Mississippi, about it. Michael begins by sharing a story about how the river lifted him out of a deep emot...
2025-05-2847 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastRiver to Table: Josh Galliano on Campfire CookingSend us a textIn this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with accomplished chef and St. Louis area resident Josh Galliano. We talk about his path to becoming a chef and the family and cultural influences. He grew up in southern Louisiana near the Mississippi River, where he had regular access to fresh, seasonal products. Mostly, though, we talk about campfire cooking. Galliano prepares memorable meals on sandbars for a local outfitter, Big Muddy Adventures, and just generally loves the outdoors.We talked about the importance of advance preparation, what foods do and...
2025-05-211h 02
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastMurder on the Mississippi: Frank Dodge Explores Identity and Deception on the RiverSend us a textIn 1964, four members of the Ku Klux Klan killed two African American men in Mississippi. The story of their murder and the following decades of stops and starts in the prosecution of their killers inspired my latest Frank Dodge mystery: Murder on the Mississippi. In this episode, I give some background on the murder of Dee and Moore and how their murder influenced my latest book. Murder on the Mississippi takes place on a Mississippi River cruise from New Orleans to Memphis. The story centers around the story of three African American sisters...
2025-04-0226 min
RV LIFE PodcastTop Mississippi River PT 2 Road Trip Stops for RV TravelersIn this exciting Part 2 of the *Mississippi Valley Traveler* I, Patti Hunt welcomes back Dean Klinkenberg, the expert behind explore hidden gems along the *Lower Mississippi River*, sharing insights on historical sites, must-visit campgrounds, and cultural experiences perfect for RV travelers. From **Kentucky to Louisiana**, they highlight scenic drives, Civil War history, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and the best spots for RV camping. Whether you're a history buff, nature enthusiast, or full-time RVer, this episode is packed with valuable travel tips and local secrets! Dean Klinkenberg reach out to Dean with questions and comments.Thank you for li...
2025-03-1959 minRV LIFE PodcastTop Mississippi River Road Trip Stops for RV TravelersJoin me, Patti Hunt as I explore the the hidden gems along the Mississippi River with expert guest Dean Klinkenberg, author of Road Tripping the Great River Road. Discover breathtaking destinations, rich history, and must-visit spots for RV travelers along the mighty Mississippi. Dean shares insights into the best scenic drives, charming small towns, and top cultural and natural attractions along the river. Whether you're planning a full road trip or a weekend getaway, this episode is packed with valuable travel tips and recommendations.Dean Klinkenberg MississippiValleyTraveler.com Email: dean@travelpassages.com Open Roads Die...
2025-03-121h 00
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastFrom Roots to Routes: Making the Leap to Full-Time RV LifeSend us a textLiving out of an RV or van seems more possible than ever before, and, based on what’s out there on social media, a lot of people have already taken the plunge. If you’re someone who is curious about what it takes to make the switch to full-time RV life, this episode is for you. I talk with Patti Hunt, host of the RV Life podcast, and someone with plenty of first-hand experience. We focus mostly on her personal story as she and her husband made the switch from living in a hous...
2025-03-121h 00
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastHolding Back the Waters: The Upper Mississippi Flood of 1965Send us a textIn April 1965, the Upper Mississippi River surged to heights never before recorded, threatening to swallow entire towns whole. This episode plunges you into the chaos as the perfect storm—deep snowpack, torrential rain, and frozen ground—transformed America's greatest river into an unstoppable force.Journey from the imperiled bridges of Minneapolis to the desperate fight for survival in Winona, where 1.3 million sandbags stood between 15,000 homes and the raging river. Experience the flood through the eyes of those who lived it—teenage volunteers working feverishly for $1.50 an hour, the Navy veteran who crawle...
2025-02-2636 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastBefore MLK: Iowa's 19th-Century Civil Rights PioneersSend us a textIn this week's episode, we uncover the surprising story of Iowa's pivotal role in African American civil rights. From the groundbreaking 1839 court case that made Iowa a free territory to the remarkable story of Charlotta Pyles—a formerly enslaved woman who raised $3,000 through East Coast speaking tours to free her family members—we explore how this Midwestern state led the nation in civil rights advances.Learn about Alexander Clark, a self-made businessman who successfully fought to desegregate Iowa's schools nearly 90 years before Brown v. Board of Education, and hear the inspiring tale...
2025-02-1225 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastUncharted Currents: Jon Kukuk on Growing Up in a Small Town Next to the Mississippi RiverSend us a textYou may never have heard of Dallas City, Illinois, but to the folks who grew up there, Dallas City was idyllic. The town had a small but diverse business community. Crime was rare and mostly petty stuff. The local streams, creeks, and woods fed a child’s curiosity. And the biggest playground, the Mississippi, challenged and calmed young and old. Jon Kukuk is one of those folks whose childhood was shaped by the rhythms of life in this small town next to the Mississippi. Kukuk composed a CD’s worth of songs...
2025-01-291h 14
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastTrash Talk: Inside America's Largest River Cleanup Organization, Living Lands & WatersSend us a textWhat started out as one guy with a jon boat picking up trash along the Mississippi in his hometown has since evolved into one of the largest, best known, most inspirational organizations in the country. In this episode, Educational Facilitator Mike Coyne-Logan describes how Living Lands & Waters (LLW) grew from the hands and mind of Chad Pregracke to the purpose-driven organization it is today. We talk about LLW’s core mission and how it has evolved over time from clean ups to also include summer camps, planting trees, and teaching about conservation and st...
2025-01-151h 03
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastRiver Songs & Gratitude: Wrapping up 2024Send us a textA busy year is coming to an end, so we’re going to ease our way out of 2024 with a short episode that features a note of thanks and bonus interview content. This year, I asked eight interviewees to pick a song that represents something about their experiences with the Mississippi River. I’ve spliced together their picks for this episode, and they cover a lot of territory, from classic river songs to a couple of unexpected choices. While I can’t include the songs in this podcast because of the copyright police, head t...
2024-11-2717 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastWhat Can the Mississippi’s Past Tell Us About Its Future? A Conversation with Historian John AnfinsonSend us a textHistorian John Anfinson has spent much of his adult life working in jobs that keep him close to the Mississippi River, first with the US Army Corps of Engineers, then later with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a part of the National Park Service. In this episode, we have a wide-ranging discussion about his career as a river historian. During his tenure with the Corps of Engineers, for example, he learned of the work of Henry Bosse, whose photographs and maps documented the Mississippi before the lock and dam system was...
2024-11-061h 11
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastTraveling the Mississippi One Week at a Time: Anne Sherve-Ose's 13-Year Journey Down the RiverSend us a textEvery year, dozens of people load up their canoes or kayaks and set out to travel the length of the Mississippi River. Anne Sherve-Ose and two friends took a different approach. Over the course of 13 years, they paddled the Mississippi River one week at a time. In this episode, I talk with Anne Sherve-Ose about those trips. She describes how the trips evolved and changed over time, shares an episode where they got stranded, and talks about the joys she experienced being on the river. We also talk about her history with outdoor...
2024-10-2350 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastThe Dark Side of Steamboat Travel: The Disasters that Claimed Thousands of Lives on the Mississippi RiverSend us a textSteamboats revolutionized travel, dramatically shortening the time it took to get from place to place. When we think of the peak period of steamboat travel, we often picture images of tall boats with lacy trim and passengers dressed in finery relaxing in elegant lounges. But those steamboats were also prone to catastrophic failure that even the well-heeled passengers couldn’t escape. In this episode, I describe the threats that steamboat passengers and crew faced every day: the dangers of floating debris in the river, worries about boat-engulfing fires, and the terror of a bo...
2024-10-0943 min
Your Lot and ParcelDiscovering The Mississippi River’s Natural Wonders Did you know that one-quarter of all North American fish species are native to the Mississippi? Or that it shelters 300 species of birds during seasonal migrations? The Mississippi River runs through the heart of the nation, shaping its history and identity. But few of us understand its essence. It’s a life-giving force that sustains thriving ecosystems across wetlands, prairies, and bluffs. He has driven virtually all the Great River Road, hiked, and canoed the river on multi-day expeditions, and cruised on the American Queen steamboat as a guest lecturer. In The Wild Mississippi, Dean not only shares the won...
2024-09-2630 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastMuch More than Snakes: The Unexpected Beauty and Unique Ecology of Snake RoadSend us a textIn this episode, I talk with wildlife biologist Mark Vukovich about the unique area known as Snake Road. Located about 40 miles south of Chester, Illinois, Snake Road passes through the LaRue-Pine Hills and Otter Pond Research Natural Areas. It’s an area full of surprises any time of year, but it’s best known for a few weeks in spring and fall when snakes move between the bluffs and nearby wetlands and the paved road is closed to protect them. In this episode, Mark talks about this unique ecological area and the 22 species of s...
2024-09-251h 13
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastExplorers, Egos, and the Search for the Elusive Mississippi River HeadwatersSend us a textToday, we all know—assume—that the Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota. How did we figure this out? Why does it matter? In this episode, I dig into the history of how European and American explorers searched the swamps and forests of Minnesota trying to figure out exactly where the Mississippi River springs to life, as well as what motivated their searches. Henry Schoolcraft is usually credited as the person who figured it out, but he had a lot of help, wasn’t even the first Euro-American to visit the la...
2024-09-1135 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastWinged Wonders: Unraveling the Mysteries of Dragonflies and DamselfliesSend us a textAmy Janik has a passion for winged creatures, which is how her professional career shifted from birds to insects in the order Odonata—dragonflies and damselflies. In this episode, we go deep into their world. After Amy describes how she got interested in dragonflies and damselflies, she offers a few tips about how to tell them apart, describes the species native to the Midwest near the Mississippi River, what they like to eat, and their life cycles. Based on her experiences in the field researching dragonflies and damselflies, she suggests a few places th...
2024-08-2843 min
Second Amendment RadioReeling in Outdoor Adventures and Civic Engagement Join Bo Matthews, Marc Cox, and producer Carl Middleman as they explore fishing, the Mississippi River, civic engagement, and the VFW Celtic Festival. Special guest Dean Klinkenberg, author of The Wild Mississippi, shares his insights on the river's wonders
2024-08-2340 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastWhen Change is Possible: General John A. Logan’s Journey from Defending Slavery to Advocating for Equal RightsSend us a textJohn A. Logan grew up in a well-to-do household in Murphysboro, Illinois, in the years before the Civil War. He had political ambitions early, maybe even from the moment he took his first breath, but the trajectory of his career took some remarkable turns. In this episode, I talk with Betsy Brown and Laura Varner from the General John A. Logan Museum in Murphysboro about his remarkable life and what lessons we might take from it. We talk about the early years of his political career, when, as a Democrat, he helped author...
2024-07-311h 06
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastIron and Immigrants: The Mesabi Range Story with Aaron BrownSend us a textAaron Brown is a writer, teacher, and lifelong resident of the Mesabi Iron Range, an area that has produced an enormous share of the iron ore that built America and won two world wars. In this episode, we take a look at the Iron Ranges of Minnesota with Aaron Brown as our guide. Aaron describes the geography of mining in Minnesota, the initial boom that drew thousands of immigrants to the area to work the mines, the experience of working in a mine, and how the continuous boom and bust cycles have shaped...
2024-07-171h 16
Buffalo Roamer Outdoors#91 Will Collins’ Irrepressible Spirit for Adventure and Outdoor EnthusiasmSome people have the outdoors in their blood. Will Collins is one of them. From the time he attended his first summer camp as a child, he felt drawn to the outdoors. In this episode, I talk with Will about his path from childhood summer camps in Wisconsin to multi-week expeditions in remote areas. In 2017, he paddled source-to-sea on the Mississippi River. I ask him how he planned for the trip, about the generosity of people he met along the way and the daily rhythms of a long-distance trip, and also about adjusting to life after the completion of a...
2024-07-121h 07
St. Louis on the AirThere's more to see than beer cans and doll heads along the Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is a natural wonder. St. Louis-based traveler and author Dean Klinkenberg introduces readers to its splendors through his new book “The Wild Mississippi,” which offers a guide for connecting with and enjoying the river. He shares his favorite spots in Missouri and Illinois, and discusses what makes this river an asset and treasure to all living things that rely on it.
2024-07-1149 min
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastOutdoor Enthusiasm: Will Collins' Irrepressible Spirit for AdventureSend us a textSome people have the outdoors in their blood. Will Collins is one of them. From the time he attended his first summer camp as a child, he felt drawn to the outdoors. In this episode, I talk with Will about his path from childhood summer camps in Wisconsin to multi-week expeditions in remote areas. In 2017, he paddled source-to-sea on the Mississippi River. I ask him how he planned for the trip, about the generosity of people he met along the way and the daily rhythms of a long-distance trip, and also about adjusting...
2024-07-031h 05
The Mississippi Valley Traveler PodcastMississippi River MonstersSend us a textDid a 70-foot-long river behemoth really lurk in the river’s channel in the 1870s? Are there monsters in the river’s depths that have eluded us so far? In this episode, we delve deep into the Mississippi’s murky waters and mystical swamps to uncover stories about the terrifying creatures that we have imagined prowl the river. We also take a deep dive into a much smaller—and deadlier—monster along the river. The mosquito. We dig into stories about the swarms of mosquitoes that plagued early settlers, bugs that brought wit...
2024-06-1945 min