Dr. John Anfinson is the former superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), and the current river historian of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. He has been researching, writing, and speaking about the Mississippi River for more than 40 years.
His April 21, 2026 presentation at the Highland Park Community Center Auditorium, “From Rapids to Reservoirs and Back Again?”, invited listeners to imagine the future of Mississippi River Gorge. The event was sponsored by the Highland District Council, the National Parks Conservation Association, and Saint Paul Parks Conservancy.
He told the 140 plus attendees that, “For the first time since the Twin Cities’ founding, we have an opportunity to redefine the Mississippi River as it flows through our metro area.” The area he was referring to is called the Gorge, an 8.5-mile stretch of the Mississippi that runs from St. Anthony Falls to its confluence with the Minnesota River just below Fort Snelling…