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Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Itasca State Park, MN, circa 1951

Subjects
Lakes & PondsNational & State ParksRivers & Streams
Card type
Chrome
Date
c. 1951 (Chrome)
Front of Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Itasca State Park, MN, circa 1951, Park Rapids, MN, USA, c. 1951 chrome postcard
Front
Back of Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Itasca State Park, MN, circa 1951, Park Rapids, MN, USA, c. 1951 chrome postcard
Back

About this postcard

At the outlet of Lake Itasca, a reddish stone marker stands beside a tall tree at the start of the Mississippi River. The lake stretches back under a blue sky, its dark forested shore and rocky shallows framing the small stream that leaves the lake here. The marker identifies the spot as 1,475 feet above the Gulf of Mexico, where the river begins its long run south. Itasca State Park, Minnesota's oldest state park, preserves the pine-and-lake country around the headwaters, a landmark that has long drawn travelers to the river's shallow outlet.

Postcard Details

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PublisherNorthern Minnesota Novelties
K-20—HEADWATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ITASCA STATE PARK, MINNESOTA Here 1,475 feet above the Gulf of Mexico, the mighty Mississippi begins to flow on its winding way 2,552 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. ITASCA STATE PARK, MINNESOTA
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Postcard record

PublisherNorthern Minnesota Novelties
Series1C-K267
ConditionGood
Place mentionedItasca State Park, Park Rapids, MN
PublisherNorthern Minnesota Novelties, Crosslake, MN
NotesChrome-era color card with visible paper texture and slight surface wear; image bleeds to the edges with no white border. Marker inscription is partly legible. No postmark; unused card, no stamp, no handwriting. Divided-back 'POST CARD' layout with stamp box (1C-K267). Curteichcolor reproduction from Kodachrome original; publisher imprint 'Northern Minnesota Novelties, Crosslake, Minn.' runs vertically at left. Linen-textured stock, circa 1940s-50s. Light soiling/toning on the back.

Cite this card

Headwaters of the Mississippi River, Itasca State Park, MN, circa 1951, postcard, c. 1951. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/headwaters-of-the-mississippi-river-itasca-state-park-mn-cir. Accessed November 2, 2026.