The Mississippi River — all 2,340 miles of it — certainly holds a special place in U.S. history, as demonstrated by the prominent role the river has played in events, folklore, songs, literature and more.   

Long before automobiles were an option, the best way to fully experience the Mississippi River was by boat; and there’s probably no better example of this than the steam-powered riverboats that used to carry people and all manner of goods up and down the river. These boats represented the glory days of river travel that Mark Twain once wrote about using a cast of colorful characters and...