As more and more railroads and later interstate highways for trucks and cars and airports for planes were built, the crucial importance of the Mississippi and its various riverways diminished.

随着越来越多的铁路以及后来为卡车和汽车建造的州际高速公路，还有为飞机建造的机场，密西西比河及其各种河流的重要性都减弱了。