| Preface: The Best of Volume 1 | p. viii |
| How to Use This Book, Expanded 5th Edition | p. xi |
| Chapter 1 Geology, Geography, Natural Resources of the Upper Mississippi River Valley | p. 1 |
| Forests |
| Early Settlers |
| Weather |
| Geology |
| Geography |
| Natural Resources |
| Chapter 2 Pierce County-National Scenic Byway | p. 7 |
| Prescott |
| St. Croix River |
| Kinnickinnic State Park |
| Diamond Bluff |
| Bay City and Maiden Rock |
| Wisconsin |
| Hastings |
| Insight Interview: The Artists of Stockholm and the "Fiddler" of Grey Cloud Island |
| Chapter 3 The Minnesota Shore | p. 31 |
| Red Wing |
| Frontenac |
| Wabasha |
| Reads Landing and Lake City |
| Minnesota |
| Special Features: Lamplighter Ladies |
| Chapter 4 Pepin County-"Little House" Country | p. 41 |
| Lake Pepin |
| Stockholm |
| Pepin and Nelson |
| Wisconsin |
| Special Features: Little Sweden, Fort St. Antoine: The French Era, Lamplighter Ladies |
| Chapter 5 Buffalo County- Gateway to the Northern Forests | p. 53 |
| Alma |
| Buffalo City |
| Cochrane |
| Merrick State Park |
| Fountain City and Bluff Siding |
| Wisconsin |
| Winona and Homer |
| Minnesota |
| Special Features: Beef Slough Wars/Logging on the Mississippi |
| Insight Interview: Armistice Day Storm of 1940, Tundra Swans on Rieck's Lake, 1805 Zebulon Pike map |
| Chapter 6 Trempealeau County-The Garden of Eden | p. 81 |
| Trempealeau Wildlife Area |
| Perrot State Park |
| Village of Trempealeau |
| Trempealeau Mountain |
| McGilvray Bridges and City of Galesville |
| Special Features: The True Garden of Eden, the Black River, Decorah's Peak |
| Chapter 7 La Crosse County-Crossroads | p. 97 |
| Holmen |
| Onalaska |
| La Crosse |
| Wisconsin |
| La Crescent |
| Minnesota |
| Special Features: History of La Crosse, Brice Prairie |
| Insight Interview: Mayor of Dakota, MN |
| Chapter 8 Vernon County-Where Fishing Is King | p. 115 |
| Stoddard |
| Genoa |
| Victory |
| De Soto and National Fish Hatchery |
| Special Features: Clamming on the Mississippi, The Black Hawk Wars |
| Insight Interview: Commercial Fishing, "There be Rattlers in those Bluffs" |
| Chapter 9 Alamakee and Clayton Counties-Iowa's Surprising Northeast Corner | p. 135 |
| Lansing |
| Harper's Ferry |
| Marquette |
| McGregor |
| Pike's Peak |
| Guttenberg |
| Special Features: Prehistoric Mound Groups, Artesian wells and "Diamond Jo" Reynolds |
| Insight: What's the Name of That Slough? |
| Chapter 10 Crawford County-Rendezvous! | p. 157 |
| Ferryville |
| Lynxville |
| Prairie du Chien and Fort Crawford |
| Special Features: The Fur Traders, Wild Hog Hunt |
| Chapter 11 Grant County-Wisconsin's Oldest County | p. 175 |
| Wyalusing State Park |
| Nelson Dewey State Park |
| Stonefield Village |
| Cassville |
| Potosi |
| Dickeyville |
| Special Features: "Port of Potosi"; Wisconsin's "Old Copper Culture"; First Governor, Nelson Dewey; Father Mazzuchelli, Pioneer Priest, Locks and Dams Illustrated |
| Chapter 12 Dubuque, Iowa-Old Beginnings | p. 195 |
| Special Feature: Steamboat's Comin', Locking Through with the Julia Belle Swain |
| Guide to River Miles | p. 208 |
| Appendix | p. 209 |
| 1783 French Map of the Upper Mississippi |
| Brief History of the Upper Mississippi River |
| Where to Look for Birds along the Mississippi River |
| Insight Interview: Fred Lesher, Bird-Watcher |
| Credits | p. 211 |
| Tourism Contacts and the Mississippi River | p. 214 |
| Complete Index to Volume 1 | p. 217 |
| About the Author | p. 223 |
| How to Order All our American River | p. 224 |
