The Mississippi River is variously referred to as America’s backbone, heart and soul. The Mighty Mississippi release honors the big river with a portfolio of 10 photographic USPS stamps, each representing a state along its course. On the back of the pane is a map of the central United States, detailing the river and its major tributaries. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the pane using existing photographs. The Mississippi River is at the core of the nation’s heritage, and is variously referred to as America’s backbone, its heart and its soul. From Lake Itasca’s trickling overspill in Minnesota, the Mississippi flows and grows for 2,300 miles.