MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) — As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, we’re taking a closer look at the Mississippi River’s lasting impact on Memphis and the Mid-South. The second-longest river in the United States stretches more than 2,300 miles from Minnesota through Memphis and into the Gulf of Mexico. For so long, these waters have meant so much to so many — exploration and adventure, commerce and capital. Frequently, these waters of life give way to life on the water.