Meet the
River Author,
Pat Middleton

 

        Pat Middleton is a freelance writer, publisher, and lecturer living along the Mississippi River near La Crosse, Wisconsin. She is recognized regionally and nationally as a premier resource for Mississipp River heritage, natural history, and travel information. Her comprehensive travel series, Discover! America's Great River Road, and Internet magazine at greatriver.com offer diverse information, riverlore, and Travel Insight Features that provide a concise overview of this uniquely American region.

     Pat is a frequent contributor to Heartland Boating Magazine. She has also written for Wisconsin Natural Resources, Wisconsin West, and the Chicago Tribune. She frequently is a guest lecturer aboard the great cruising steamboats of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company. Pat has been a guest several times with Jean Ferraca and Larry Mueller of Wisconsin Public Radio, on KTTC in St. Louis and on WCCO in MPLS. She speaks throughout the Midwest to educators, writers, school children, historians, and travel groups about her craft and the great Mississippi River; its heritage and natural history.

"The beauty of the Great River Road lies in traveling slowly; stopping to absorb the view, visiting a fish market, chatting with locals at the cafe. It is our Rhine River, an Everglades of the north with a national treasure of eagles, wildlife, and migrating waterfowl. It is "Little Italy," Norwegian spoken in the street, and elegant paddlewheelers.

"It is my hope that this book will cause you to pause for a moment to enjoy an area bounded by, nurtured by, and challenged by a great river. For in the end--whether Indian, fur trader, adventurer or farmer--we are all travelers. Only the bluffs and the river are here to stay."
                      --Pat Middleton

 

        Through her publications and website, Middleton strives to provide a thorough description of the attractions and adventures waiting along the Great River Road. She has traveled extensively around the word, and taught in both Australia and the United States. Although Middleton maintains an active career as an author, publisher, and webmaster, she takes every opportunity to view the beauty of the Mississippi River as it meanders just a mile beyond her kitchen window.

If you would enjoy "steamboatin'" with Pat, contact the Entertainment Division at the Delta Queen Steamboat Company for specific dates when Pat will ride.

 

greatriver.com

        What might Mark Twain have made of the World Wide Web? That we can only guess at, but modern-day river buffs can make contact with river author, Pat Middleton, at the Mississippi River Home Page at greatriver.com. The site provides a wealth of Mississippi River travel and educational resources in the form of interviews, time lines and feature stories.

Discover! Guides

In addition to wearing a webmaster and Internet publishing hat, Middleton dons that of author also. Her acclaimed three-volume Mississippi River travel guide series, Discover! America's Great River Road, has been the most requested guide to heritage and natural history along the Mississippi River for the past ten years.

Volume 1 explores the scenic Upper Mississippi from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Dubuque, Iowa. Volume 2 extends the journey through the Middle Mississippi regions of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Volume 3 guides the traveler through the historic Lower Mississippi from St. Louis, Missouri, to Memphis, Tennessee. All three guides are currently available for $13.95 from many book stores or direct from the publisher, Heritage Press.

For order information, please visit http://www.greatriver.com/order.htm or phone Heritage Press toll free at 888-255-7726.

Middleton has also published an interactive workbook for children. The Mississippi River Activity Guide designed for children in grades 3 through 5 offers learning and entertainment through travel puzzels, mazes, games and river facts. The Activity Guide is used in schools around the nation. The Teacher Edition includes a classroom guide that correlates the information in the related Discover! Guides to the material in the Activity Guides.

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