I especially enjoyed the features on Illinois` ”Egypt” and the ”Mighty Mississippi” (July 24). William Schemmel did an excellent piece of writing, but I do hope he had nothing to do with the headline that tagged the Mississippi as ”Big Muddy.”
Iowa, the ”Land Between Rivers” (also called ”The Beautiful Land”) is bordered by two mighty rivers. Both, of course, bear Indian names. They also have nicknames. The one to our east is ”The Father of Waters,” but I liked
(Schemmel`s) description ”dibbling out of Minnesota.”
The other one, equally impressive, rolls along Iowa`s western border and then takes off on a wandering route across its namesake state until it joins the Mississippi just above St. Louis. That river, of course, is the ”Wide Missouri,” and to my knowledge has always been known as ”Big Muddy.”
