Dubuque stampGrist is rollin’ (rollin’!) on the river this week, and we’re taking you with us. We’re bound for the Mississippi — the legendary waterway recently deemed an “orphan” of the federal government. Just call us Sarah van Sawyer and Huckleberry Wroth.

We’ve ventured here to find out how three cities are reinventing their once-industrial waterfronts, and how they’re re-embracing the river. During the week’s coverage, which is supported by the McKnight Foundation, we’ll be talking with city leaders, historians, architects, planners, and Real People about the transformations happening all along the river. We might even take a dip — if we can withstand the psychiatric evaluation.