Menominee River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Menominee River |
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Menominee River
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Brule and Michigamme rivers 45°57′12″N 88°11′46″W / 45.95328°N 88.19624°W |
| River mouth | Green Bay, Lake Michigan 45°05′41″N 87°35′28″W / 45.0947°N 87.59121°W |
| Length | 116 mi (187 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 4,070 sq mi (10,500 km2) |
The Menominee River is a cool river in the United States. It flows between northwestern Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin. This river is about 116 miles (187 km) long. It drains a big area of forests in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Finally, it empties into Green Bay, which is part of Lake Michigan. The entire river, along with its helper river, the Brule River, forms the border between Michigan and Wisconsin.
Contents
Where the River Flows
The Menominee River begins about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Iron Mountain, Michigan. It forms where the Brule and Michigamme rivers meet. As the Menominee flows southeast, it collects water from the Pine River. It then passes by towns like Kingsford, Michigan and Niagara, Wisconsin.
The river then generally flows south, making wide curves. It gathers water from other rivers like the Sturgeon, Pemebonwon, and Pike rivers. The Menominee River enters Green Bay from the north. This happens between the cities of Marinette, Wisconsin and Menominee, Michigan.
A River of Clean Waters
Along its path, the Menominee River has been changed into a series of large reservoirs. These reservoirs are like big, deep, and very clean lakes in the area. Many of the lands around these waters are managed for fun activities like recreation. This helps protect the river and limits building along its shores.
The lakes are very natural and beautiful. Their shores are wild forest lands, not rows of cottages or docks. This makes the Menominee River a special place for nature and outdoor adventures.
What's in a Name?
The name of the river, "Menominee," comes from an Ojibwe Algonquian term. It means "wild rice" or "in the place of wild rice." The people used the same name for the river as for the historic Menominee tribe. This tribe lived in the area and used wild rice as an important food.
The Menominee are the only Native American tribe living in Wisconsin today whose ancestors originally came from that state. The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin has a reservation on the Wolf River (Fox River tributary). The Menominee people believe they were created at the mouth of the Menominee River. They say the Ancestral Bear came out of the river mouth and was changed into the first Menominee by the Creator.
Other groups also had names for the river. The Chippewa people lived in the upper part of the river basin. They called the river Me-ne-cane Sepe, which means "Many Little Islands River." French missionary priests, in their writings called Jesuit Relations, referred to the river as Rivière de la Folle Avoine. This also meant "Wild Oats River," again referring to the wild rice.
River History and Environment
The area where the Menominee River flows was once a big center for iron ore mining. Because of past industries, some of the river's sediments near Marinette, Wisconsin have had environmental concerns, including traces of arsenic. Efforts are made to manage and improve the river's health.
