Flowing from the Rocky Mountains across the Great Plains, the Missouri River cuts a path through the United States longer than any other river. For centuries, the Missouri was a hungry, untamed waterway, and its swift, silt-laden waters chewing riverbanks, trees, and anything else standing in its way, earned it the name "Big Muddy." But as explorers like Lewis and Clark and pioneers settled the American frontier, they tamed the Missouri and took advantage of its resources. Today the Missouri is home to several important cities and millions of people who rely on the river for irrigation and drinking water, power, and recreation. Though it has weathered many changes over its lifetime, the Missouri remains a river of beauty and power.