A thin layer of ice has settled over the St. Louis region, and most of us are staying home. In 2017, less than an inch of ice can bring the city to a near halt.
But just imagine if it was cold enough to freeze the mighty Mississippi. That's what happened in February 1905.
During Friday's ice storm, the Missouri History Museum posted an iconic photo from its collection to Facebook, showing a woman standing on the Mississippi River beneath the Eads Bridge. Dozens of people can be seen standing behind her, walking across the frozen river.
When the Mississippi River freezes over, it's called an "ice gorge." According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the river froze completely in St. Louis at least 10 times between 1831 and 1938, before the completion of the Alton Lock and Dam.
Love this photo? Prints are available for sale from the Missouri History Museum.
