Lake, northwestern Minnesota, U.S. Occupying an area of 1.
8 sq mi (4.7 sq km), it is located 1,475 ft (450 m) above sea level. Mississippi River has been widely accepted. He is generally credited with originating the name Itasca, but Indian legend mentions I-tesk-ka, the daughter of Hiawatha , whose tears of anguish at being spirited away to the netherworld were the source of the Mississippi.