Minnesota
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| Abbreviation | MN Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | St. Paul |
| Population | 5,303,925 Source: 2010 Demographic Profile — U.S. Census Bureau |
| Governor | Mark Dayton (Democrat, to January 2019) |
| Entered the Union | May 11, 1858 as the 32nd state |
| Motto | Fatti L’Etoile du Nord (The North Star) |
| Nickname | The North Star State, The Gopher State, The Land of 10,000 Lakes |
| Flower | Showy lady’s slipper |
| Bird | Common loon (also known as Great Northern Diver) |
| Song | Hail Minnesota |
| Professional Sports Teams | Minnesota Timberwolves (Basketball); Minnesota Vikings (Football); Minnesota Twins (Baseball); Minnesota Wild (Hockey); Minnesota Lynx (Women’s Basketball) (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | From a Dakota Indian word meaning “sky-tinted water” |
| Historical Sites | Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Voyageurs National Park, North Shore Drive |
| Points of Interest | Minnesota Zoological Gardens and the state’s more than 10,000 lakes |
| Bordering States | Minnesota borders Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and the nation of Canada. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Minnesota from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Minnesota.gov
http://mn.gov/portal/
This is the official website for the State of Minnesota. - State Government Libraries
http://mn.gov/library/
Here is the homepage for the Minnesota’s State Governement Libraries. - The Minnesota Historical Society
http://www.mnhs.org/
Here is the homepage for the Minnesota State Historical Society. - Minnesota History Center Museum
http://www.mnhs.org/places/historycenter/
Here is the homepage for the Minnesota Historical Society History Center Museum. - Minnesota State Archives
http://www.mnhs.org/preserve/records/
Here is the homepage for the Minnesota State Archives. - Minnesota State Parks
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/index.html
Here is the homepage for Minnesota State Parks. - Explore Minnesota
http://www.exploreminnesota.com/
Here is the official state tourism website for Minnesota. - Minnesota North Star Kids Page
http://www.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?id=-536881315
Here is the official Minnesota page for kids.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Minnesota
http://www.50states.com/minnesot.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Minnesota. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Minnesota
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/MN/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Minnesota’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Minnesota Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/location/mn
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Minnesota
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/27000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Minnesota.
- The Minnesota state tree is the Red (or Norway) pine, state fish is the Walleye, and the state mushroom is the Morel.
- Some of the leading products produced by Minnesota farmers are corn, wheat, rye, alfalfa, sugar beets, butter, eggs, milk, potatoes, green peas, barley, soy beans, oats, and livestock.
- Rochester,Minnesota, is the home of the internationally famous Mayo Clinic, known for its achievements in the field of medicine.
Some Famous People from this State
- Bob Dylan (1941 – ), songwriter and singer whose songs of protest made him a hero to the civil-rights and student movements of the 1960s.
- F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940), novelist, known for the novelsThe Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night.
- Judy Garland (1922 – 1969), actress and singer.
- Hubert H. Humphrey (1911 – 1978), U. S. senator and vice president of the U. S. (1965 – 1969); Democratic candidate for president, 1968.
- Sinclair Lewis (1885 – 1951), author, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature; wrote novels such as Babbitt, Elmer Gantry, and Main Street.
- Charles H. Mayo (1865 – 1939), and William J. Mayo(1861 – 1939), physicians who founded the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
- Walter Frederick Mondale (1928 – ), 42d vice-president of the United States (1977 – 1980); Democratic candidate for president of the United States in 1984.
- John S. Pillsbury (1828 – 1901), a leader in flour milling, he helped found the family company in Minneapolis in 1872; three-time Republican governor of Minnesota (1876 – 1882).