Itasca State Park
| Itasca State Park | |
| Minnesota State Park | |
 The headwaters of the Mississippi River in Itasca State Park
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| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| State |  Minnesota |
| Counties | Becker, Clearwater, Hubbard |
| Location | Park Rapids |
| - elevation | 1,558 ft (475 m) |
| - coordinates | 47°14′23″N 95°12′27″W / 47.23972°N 95.20750°WCoordinates: 47°14′23″N 95°12′27″W / 47.23972°N 95.20750°W |
| Area | 32,690 acres (13,229 ha) |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Management | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
| IUCN category | IV - Habitat/Species government Area |
| Designated | 1975 |
  Location of Itasca State Park in Minnesota
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Itasca State Park is a state park of Minnesota, United States, and contains the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The park spans 32,690 acres (132.3 km2) of northern Minnesota, and is located about 21 miles (34 km) north of Park Rapids, Minnesota and 25 miles (40 km) from Bagley, Minnesota. The park is part of Minnesota's Pine Moraines and Outwash Plains Ecological Subsection and is contained within Clearwater, Hubbard, and Becker counties.
Itasca State Park was established by the Minnesota Legislature on April 20, 1891, making it the first of Minnesota's state parks and second oldest in the United States, behind Niagara Falls State Park. Henry Schoolcraft determined Lake Itasca as the river's source in 1832. It was named as a National Natural Landmark in 1965, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. About 500,000 people visit Itasca State Park annually.
Approximately 7–8,000 years ago, Native American hunters pursued wild animals for food in the Itasca State Park region. These early people ambushed bison, deer, and moose at watering sites and killed them with stone–tipped spears. The bison kill site along Wilderness Drive in the park gives visitors historical insight about this period.
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