Why is Minnesota called the land of a thousand lakes? "Northern Star State" - Minnesota

Minnesota is the land of ten thousand lakes. And this is not fiction at all, according to official statistics there are almost 12 thousand of them! Obviously, because of this generosity of nature, Minnesotans are the proud holders of the title of citizens of America's most livable state. Over the past 10 years, experts have recognized Minnesota as the healthiest of the 50 states 6 times.

Minnesota is famous not only for its amazingly beautiful lakes, but also for a large number of reserves. Excellent fishing, hunting, kayaking and canoeing, the country's best cycling routes, excellent skiing trails annually attract millions of people from all over the world to the state.

How to get there

You can get to Minnesota only with transfers. Fly first to Washington, and from there to Minneapolis. A transatlantic flight is not cheap, so if you haven't booked your tickets months in advance, you'll have to shell out a tidy sum. The cheapest route will cost 87700 RUB one way.

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

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Weather in Minnesota

The climate of the state is temperate continental. It has cold snowy winters and hot summers. A record winter temperature of -51 °C was recorded in 1996, a record summer temperature of +46 °C in 1936. It is believed that in Minnesota, in the city of International Falls, there is the coldest place in the continental United States - the so-called refrigerator of the nation. Rain, snow, blizzards, thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes are also not uncommon here. The southern part of Minnesota is located in the area of ​​the so-called Tornado Alley: hurricane whirlwinds pass here more than 20 times a year, usually in the summer.

Popular hotels in the Region

Attractions, entertainment and excursions in Minnesota

Tourism is an important branch of the state's economy. It cannot be otherwise, because Minnesota is famous not only for its amazingly beautiful lakes, but also for a large number of reserves. Excellent fishing, hunting, kayaking and canoeing, the country's best cycling routes, excellent skiing trails annually attract millions of people from all over the world to the state. Fans of cognitive rest also do not remain without impressions.

Minnesota

Saint Paul

On the left bank of the Mississippi is the state capital, Saint Paul. This is a major cargo port, but looks more like a European city with well-preserved buildings of late Victorian architecture.

Downtown St. Paul is simply a paradise for pedestrians; you can move freely around the city center thanks to a network of skyways - closed glass pedestrian crossings. You can walk 5 miles, that's 8 km, and never go outside!

Saint Paul is famous for being the birthplace and author of the first major novel, This Side of Paradise, by American writer Francis Scott Fitzgerald. Also here, since the 19th century, the annual winter carnival of St. Paul has been held.

Minneapolis

Despite the fact that the capital of Minnesota is Saint Paul, the largest and most culturally famous in the state is still Minneapolis. The Institute of Arts is located here, where you can always see an interesting exhibition, the Walker Art Center, which houses the works of Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore, the Frederick Weissman Art Museum ... However, Minneapolis and St. Paul are called "twin cities", they are even located opposite each other, on different banks of the Mississippi. But Minneapolis is more modern, with wide, busy streets and soaring skyscrapers. And the skyway network is more than 12 km!

In terms of the number of seats in theaters, St. Paul and Minneapolis are second only to New York!

The annual theater fringe festival is very popular in the state, which shows drama, dance, puppet shows, as well as children's shows and musicals.

Land of lakes

The area of ​​lakes in Minnesota exceeds 40 thousand square meters! The largest and deepest of them is the Superior, one of the Great Lakes of North America and the largest freshwater lake in the world. In addition to lakes that are of interest to all tourists - and fishing enthusiasts, and divers, and families with children, there are about 6.5 thousand rivers and streams in Minnesota, it is here that the sources of the largest river in the United States, the Mississippi, are located.

Voyager Park

In the north of Minnesota, near the border with the Canadian province of Ontario, is the Voyageurs National Park. The park was founded in 1971 and occupies a huge area, and a third of the territory is water. In addition to four large lakes, there are 26 more small ones, strewn with rocky islands. The scenery here is breathtaking!

Through ancient rocks and a network of water channels in the old days ran the routes of fur traders and travelers.

In the park you can relax both soul and body. For this, everything is here! You can put up a tent or live in a house on the shores of Lake Rainey, rent a small barge with a cabin, or explore the local beauty in a motorboat, canoe or seaplane.

During the boat ride you will see eagles, loons, gulls, deer and elks. Or you can go on a one-day excursion to the historic Kettle Falls waterfall - you will learn a lot of interesting things about nature, and in the evening the organizers will arrange a party around the fire. The kids will love this trip too!

In the Voyager Park, there are several tourist centers at once, where there are exhibitions, and in cinema halls you can watch films about wildlife, about the history of the park. You can also buy books and souvenirs here.

Shopping in Minnesota

Shopping lovers will be interested in Mall of America - one of the largest shopping centers in the world. It is located near the state capital, in the suburbs of Bloomington. About 40 million people visit it every year, and every fourth is a tourist. The mall has more than 500 shops, at least 20 restaurants, an amusement park with 400 live trees and an aquarium that even has sharks.

In the American mind, almost every state has an established reputation, sometimes different in the eyes of the inhabitants of different areas and subject to the influence of time, although, as a rule, the range of opinions here is small. When it comes to Minnesota, the assessments turn out to be completely unanimous - moreover, almost the most positive.

It is believed that its well-being is based on a well-functioning public life: there is no dominance of any one party, politicians are responsible and not subject to corruption, citizens are active in solving local problems. In addition, education and health care are excellently placed, the economy invariably copes with shocks, rebuilding in advance in a new way ... “Go around all of America, from sea to sea,” writes N. Pierce, “and you will not find another state that is as close to the ideal of society as Minnesota.”

The authors of the Almanac of American Politics state: “Except for the role played by the state of New York in the 1920s, Minnesota, more than any other state, was the place where important political ideas matured that were destined to shape our national policy. More than once it seemed that just a little bit more and Minnesota would seize control of the federal government.

Of course, there are always a lot of exaggerations in such characteristics, but one thing is indisputable: public consciousness assigns a special place to this state.

At first glance, it is not very remarkable, and its geographical position cannot be called key. Thanks to a slight bend in the border with Canada, the territory of the state reaches 49 ° 23 "to the north of the border of the state of Maine. This border is almost deserted here. The neighboring states are either small in human and economic potential, like two, or border Minnesota by no means the most prosperous of their The territory of Minnesota is a kind of pinnacle of the eastern part of the United States, because rivers flow from here to three different sides of the continent: the Red River and Rainy - to the Hudson Bay, small eastern rivers - to Lake Superior, to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mississippi - to the Gulf of Mexico "The source of the great American river is a small lake Itasca, it is lost in the deep forests of central Minnesota. But the height of this "top" is small, the highest point of the state, Eagle Mountain, rises only 702 m above sea level. Glaciations have smoothed the surface and left many moraine sediments and lakes - more than 15 thousand (in terms of the area of ​​\u200b\u200binland waters - 12.4 thousand square kilometers - Minnesota is second only to Alaska and Texas).

The area of ​​the state is huge, east of the river. The Mississippi has no equal (218 thousand sq. km), the length from north to south is more than 650 km. Here is the junction of important natural zones - taiga, which occupies more than half of the territory, and steppes (high-grass prairies). They are separated by a narrow (80-150 km) strip of deciduous forests - Big Woods. The northeast corner of the state, named for its outline of Arrowhead (arrowhead), is in a zone of humid cold continental climate, and the southwest corner is in a zone of a typical arid climate of the Great Plains with hot summers and harsh winters.

The Minnesota forests have long been inhabited by the Sioux Indians, who belonged to the Dakota tribe. The first whites appeared here in the middle of the 17th century. These were the Frenchmen P. Radison and D. Graysolon, other travelers, missionaries, fur traders. In 1679 Greysolon officially declared the land the property of Louis XIV.

Since the 18th century the Algonquian tribes of Ojibois (Chippewa) began to penetrate here. Since 1736, wars began between them and the Dakotas, and the latter began to be pushed back to the west. In 1762, the lands west of the Mississippi were formally ceded to Spain.

The white fur traders showed little interest in this wilderness; in 1787 - 1803 the territory went to the United States, but even after that for a long time only separate expeditions penetrated here, such as detachment 3. Pike, sent in 1805 in search of the origins of the Mississippi, and fur traders from the American Fair company, owned by J. Astor. The first permanent white settlement, Fort Snelling, did not appear until 1819, on a site purchased from the Dakotas by 3. Pike. But the place turned out to be key: navigation along the Mississippi began from the waterfalls of St. Anthony, next to it the river flowed into it. Minnesota, which served as a way to the west, a little lower - r. Sainte-Croix leading north. In the 30s, lumberjacks created a network of settlements here - the villages of Minneapolis, St. Anthony and Pigs Eye (later St. Paul) in the bend of the Mississippi, near the waterfalls. In total, they were inhabited by 5 thousand people.

But in the 1950s, a land fever broke out, and a stream of farmers, lumberjacks, and merchants poured in here. In 1849, Saint Paul became the capital of the new Minnesota Territory; nine years later there were 150 thousand inhabitants, and on May 11, 1858 it was declared the 32nd state.

The wave of migration came from New England. It is believed that the state owes its high reputation to the Yankees - the activity of citizens in public life, the education system, the ideals of "grassroots democracy". In 1851, the University of Minnesota, now one of the largest in the country, was founded in Minneapolis; in 1986 there were already 45,000 students studying there.

When discussing the constitution of the future state in 1857, delegates from the Democratic and Republican parties had to be gathered in different halls so that they would not fight, they signed the final draft separately, in different copies. Democrat G. Silby became the first governor, but soon the Republicans seized power for a long time. In 1860, A. Lincoln easily won the first presidential election for these places; Minnesota was the first to respond to his call to send troops to the northern army.

But in the 60s, the main event was the war not with the South, but with the Indians. The Dakotas rebelled under pressure from the whites, killing about 300 whites, countless redskins. The rebels were defeated, evicted to Nebraska, the Ojibois tribe were driven into reservations (in 1980 there were 35 thousand Indians in the state, half of them in Minneapolis and St. Paul). The new immigration boom was due to wheat. By the end of the century, 70% of the farm area was used for its crops, a bunch of flour mills had formed on the falls of St. Anthony. Minneapolis has become the world's largest industry center with two dozen mills with a total capacity of 16 million barrels per year. In 1862, the first railroad in the state was built between St. Paul and Minneapolis, in 1867 it connected them with Chicago; in the landmark year of 1883, the Northern Pacific made its way to the Pacific coast.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the forest industry of the state flourished. The blanks covered its entire northern half; in the Big Woods, the forests were reduced almost completely, making room for arable land. Minneapolis became the center of sawmilling. In the 1990s, the development of giant deposits of the Mesabi Ridge rich in iron ore to the west of Lake Superior began. Ore (about 30 million tons were mined a year) was exported through Duluth, which turned into one of the largest ports in the United States (in 1885, 3.5 thousand inhabitants, in 1905 - 65 thousand).

The main economic and social center remained the double city in the bend of the Mississippi, at the falls of St. Anthony - Minneapolis and St. Paul, they are commonly called "Twin Cities" ("Twin Cities"),

At first they were very different. Saint Paul was settled by Catholic Germans and Irish, it became the financial and administrative center of the state, its social life looked more prim and conservative. In Minneapolis, Scandinavians and Yankees prevailed, the main industrial center of the state was located, and it was more open and democratic. Over time, the differences are erased, cities merge into their suburbs; in 1880, Minneapolis overtook its “twin” in terms of the number of inhabitants, and in 1890 it entered the top ten centers of the country in terms of the cost of industrial production at the beginning of the 20th century. he tied for 11th and 12th with Cleveland.

From now on, immigration came mainly from Northern Europe. To Germans and Scandinavians, wooded and snowy Minnesota reminded them of their native places. Settlers from the eastern states preferred the fertile steppe regions. Immigrants carefully reproduced life in a new place and kept it for a long time. The Germans settled along the Mississippi, the Norwegians along the southern border and along the Red River, the Swedes north of the Twin Cities. Finns and Slovaks came to iron ore enterprises, Dutch and Flemings settled in the southwest, French and French Canadians settled along the Canadian border. The "twin cities" were distinguished by a rare ethnic diversity - the Poles, Irish, Ukrainians, and Greeks must also be added to the listed groups.

German-Scandinavian immigrants had many similarities with the Yankees, which perpetuated the tradition of civic engagement. Minnesota in the last century has become an incubator of strong social movements opposed to big business. In 1867, O. Kelly founded the League of Grangers (from the English grrange - farm), which united landowners in their struggle for a fairer share of the income from the crop. The movement became nationwide, and in the 70s even more radical; the cooperative movement has also been strengthened. In the 1980s, the Minnesota Farmers' Alliance gained influence. In 1887, congresses of the two largest associations of workers at that time, the Northern Alliance of Farmers and the Order of the Knights of Labor, took place in Minneapolis, and an alliance of workers and farmers' organizations arose. The populist movement repeatedly sent its representatives to the state legislature and the US Congress, and in 1898 the People's Party brought J. Lind to the post of governor.

But populism has not reached the level of radicalism in Minnesota that is characteristic of Nebraska or. The Republicans who dominated the state were sensitive to public sentiment, and in the 70s the authorities passed a series of laws in the spirit of the Grangers, restricting the activities of railroad companies and banks; in 1886 this party secured the support of the Farmer's Alliance. At the beginning of the century, under Republican governor A. Eberhart, direct elections were introduced, which prevented the seizure of power by party machines. Democrats took similar positions; Governor J. Johnson, elected from this party in 1904, introduced social insurance for workers.

The farming movement in these places retained its independence and militancy for a long time. On its basis, in 1915, a farmer from North Dakota, Arthur Townley, created the Non-Party League. She soon moved her headquarters from North Dakota to St. Paul. The emerging crisis in the state economy contributed to the radicalization of social movements. Predatory logging depleted the forests, the wheat industry suffered from the decline in prices and competition from the southern regions, and mass strikes took place in the mines. The successor to the Non-Party League was the Farm and Labor Party of Minnesota, which put forward a radical anti-monopoly program. In 1930, its leader F. Olson became governor with 60% of the vote, and although the Republicans dominated the legislature, the new party managed to pass laws on minimum wages, public works, railroad rates, a progressive tax on the income of the rich, a moratorium on the payment of farmers' debt. Following the example of Minnesota, attempts were made to create similar parties in Ohio, Oregon, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

True, after the death of F. Olson in 1936, the Republicans managed to seize the initiative, to promote the young and active G. Stassen to the post of governor in 1938, who soon became a national figure; he was a serious contender for the presidency in 1940 and 1948. During the war years, a young professor at McAlester University in St. Paul, Hubert Humphrey, came to the fore in the state, who managed to unite the local Democrats and the Farm and Labor Party. The new Democratic Farm Workers Party (DFL) attracted such prominent politicians as O. Freeman (governor of the state since 1954, secretary of agriculture under J. Kennedy and L. Johnson), E. Anderson (the first female ambassador in the history of the United States ), Y. McCarthy (leader of the anti-war movement of the 60s, an active participant in the struggle for the Democratic presidency in 1968, as an independent - in 1976). Already in 1948, this party won decisive support from the voters and firmly held the leadership for almost 30 years. Elected to the Senate, G. Humphrey soon became one of the key figures there; in 1965 he was vice-president under L. Johnson, in 1968 he fought for the presidency with R. Nixon, losing only 510 thousand votes to him. G. Humphrey's successor was W. Mondale, who in 1964 took his seat in the Senate; in 1977 he was vice-president under George Carter, in 1980 he was fighting for this place against George Bush. In 1984, W. Mondale challenged R. Reagan for the presidency, but unsuccessfully: he won a majority only in his native Minnesota, overtaking him by only 0.2% of the vote.

After the death of G. Humphrey in 1978, the positions of the DFL began to weaken due to internal strife. In 1978, both seats in the state Senate passed to Republicans D. Darenberger and R. Boschwitz. in the elections of 1976 and 1978. Republicans W. Weber and A. Stingland won two seats from the Democrats in the House of Representatives, and in 1978 Republican A. Kuai was elected governor for four years.

However, the DFL still retains control over the legislature, since 1982 the governor's seat has been occupied by the energetic and popular Democrat R. Perpich. In the same year, Democrats T. Penny and G. Sikorski won seats from the Republicans in the House, and now there are five representatives from the DFL out of eight. These are consistent liberals, primarily B. Vento (Saint Paul) and M. Szabo (Minneapolis). The last 22-year-old was elected to the House of Representatives of the legislature, at the age of 30 he became the leader of the minority in it, at 34 - the speaker. In presidential elections, Minnesota maintains a reputation as a bastion of Democrats. This is the only state in the country where R. Reagan has never managed to win. Yes, and the Minnesota Republicans have always been distinguished by moderation, the model of which was G. Stassen. Senators D. Darenberger and R. Boschwitz act more like liberals on international and especially social issues, and on economic issues they opposed the Reagan administration more than once. In 1985, having headed the special committee of the Senate on intelligence, D. Darenberger constantly expressed a skeptical attitude towards this institution of power. Congressman Republican W. Weber (former assistant to R. Boschwitz) has repeatedly opposed the government's position on MX missiles and chemical weapons.

Such moderation is in the tradition of Minnesota, whose history has hardly known the extremes of the left or right. Here they are proud of the "balance" of public life and tolerance, controversial issues are resolved through public discussion. The political activity of Minnesotans is well known: the state has long been superior in terms of the degree of participation of citizens in the elections of the president and members of Congress. The Minnesotans themselves believe that this is what contributed to the development of education and health care, cultural and sports institutions, and the creation of a sustainable economy.

Indeed, Minnesota has the highest life expectancy and one of the nation's best physician and hospital bed rates; Mayo Clinic in Rochester won world fame in the last century, the hospital complex at the University of Minnesota is among the most famous. Famous for the Tyrone Guthrie Drama Theatre, the Symphony Orchestra, the Children's Theater and the Minneapolis Museum of Art. But there are dozens of cultural institutions that are not much inferior to those listed.

The subject of pride is tourism. The northern half of the state is a paradise for hunters, fishermen; in terms of the number of fishing licenses issued, Minnesota is second only to Michigan on a per capita basis.

In 1985, the industry's income was $2.7 billion, slightly less than that from agriculture. The Twin Cities are considered the center of professional sports. The hockey stadium in Bloomington (15.5 thousand seats) and the Metrodome named after G. Humphrey in Minneapolis for football and baseball (55 - 62 thousand seats) are very famous. In the major leagues of professional sports, there are hockey players from the Minnesota North Stars, who made it to the Stanley Cup final in 1981, the Minnesota Vikings football players and the Minnesota Twins baseball players, who not only won their American League last year, but also defeated in the final matches the winner of the National League - the St. Louis Cardinal team.

The state's economy has been in jeopardy more than once. At the beginning of the century, forestry fell into decay, then the profitability of grain farming began to fall, after the Second World War, the depletion of iron ore reserves made itself felt. And every time it was possible to rebuild the economic structure. The University of Minnesota played a significant role here: its scientists bred new varieties of corn, which made it possible to advance this crop far into the interior of the state, developed a technology for enriching taconites (poor iron ore), the reserves of which are colossal in the state. This potential also attracted knowledge-intensive industries here: long before the boom of the 1970s, they became the new core of industrial development.

Employment is on the rise in the state's industry (an uncommon occurrence in today's US); between the industrial censuses of 1967 and 1982 it increased from 300 thousand to 352 thousand people. The main reason for success is the specialization in such knowledge-intensive industries as the production of computers (more than 30 thousand employees, over 8% in this industry in the country). Here, mainly in Twin Cities, are located the head and auxiliary plants of such corporations as Control Data (about a dozen plants, of which two, 2,000 each, in Minneapolis and Arden Hills) and Honeywell , which also produces a variety of electronic products and devices; its 3,000-employee plant in Golden Valley, west of Minneapolis, is one of the world's largest environmental monitoring equipment manufacturers. In St. Paul and its suburbs there are factories of Sperry and NKR firms, in Rochester there is a giant IBM (7 thousand employees). Another 30,000 are employed in electrical engineering (in Fridley, north of Minneapolis, in St. Cloud) and 40,000 in general engineering, also represented by large enterprises. These are factories for the manufacture of gardening equipment (the largest in the country) and metal-cutting machine tools (Apache), one of the largest enterprises for the production of compressors, as well as printing machines (all in Minneapolis). 8 Bloomington is a small Ford car assembly plant. Minneapolis is known as an important center for the production of artillery (FMS plant) and small arms ("Federal Cartridge"); in Arden Hills - an ammunition factory. Other enterprises also carry out military orders, especially electronic ones (Honeywell), but on the whole, the share of Minnesota in Pentagon orders is not too large (less than 1.5%).

An important area of ​​specialization is the food industry. Minneapolis has strengthened its position as the largest flour milling center (about 10% of the capacity of US elevators, 2.7 million tons). The mills of Pillsbury, Multifoods, and General Mills each employ 1,000 people. St. Paul has the Farmers Union's flagship elevator and mill, and Duluth is the largest grain elevator center on the Great Lakes. Minnesota is also distinguished by meat processing plants - in Austin, Albert Lee, Wilmar, Arden Hills, as well as dairy processing enterprises: the Shuans plant in Marshall is one of the largest in the country. Morehead is home to the American Crystal Sugar plant, the largest sugar beet processing plant.

Wood harvesting is now 10 times less intensive than at the beginning of the century. Large sawmills survived only in the north of the state and in the St. Croix (Bayport) valley. In Cloquet, near Duluth, and in Grand Rapids, there are paper mills; in St. Paul and Hutchinson, large paper mills of the famous 3M Company. The printing industry is still developed (35,000 employed in 1982).

The lion's share of the manufacturing industry (about two-thirds of the total number of employees) is concentrated in the Twin Cities agglomeration, and not only in cities (a quarter of the employed), but also in numerous suburbs - Bloomington, Fridley, Golden Valley, Rockville, Eden Prairie . The rest of the industrial centers are smaller, even in Rochester there are only 10 thousand employed.

The mining industry, once the glory of Minnesota, is in decline. Although nearly three-quarters of US iron ore is mined here, it is rapidly being replaced by high-quality, low-cost imported raw materials. The geography of Minnesota also affects: almost half of its production goes to the plants of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, about a third - to the plants of Pennsylvania and Ohio, but the Great Lakes leading to these states freeze for a long time. The iron content in Minnesota taconites is half that of Brazilian ores, their enrichment is costly, energy-intensive, and the waste is highly polluting the natural environment. During the 1980s, iron ore production in the United States decreased from 85 to 40 million tons of pellets, the number of miners - from 20 to 6.5 thousand. Of the eight Minnesota mining and processing plants, only three remained by the middle of this decade, then the largest in the country also closed the Reserve Mining plant in Silver Bay. In the spring of 1983, unemployment here reached 33%, the entire region became a disaster zone.

The agriculture of Minnesota was also rebuilt many times, as a result, the structure of crops became more diverse. The state still provides about 5% of the national harvest of wheat (2.8 min. tons in 1986), more than 1 million are employed under it; fa, but its share in the state's agricultural revenue is already less than 10% - More than a quarter of this revenue is now provided by corn (18.5 million tons, 2.5 million hectares) and 13% by soybeans (4 million tons). More than 1 million tons of barley, 600 thousand tons of oats are harvested per year; in the collection of these crops, Minnesota usually occupies no less than fourth place, and even second in haylage (8.9 million tons in 1985). The state is shifting to animal husbandry, which now provides more than half of its revenue. There are almost 1 million dairy cows here, producing 5 million tons of milk per year; output from more than 2 million heads of beef cattle and more than 4 million pigs - 650 thousand tons of beef and 700 thousand tons of pork.

But although yields and milk yields are very high, the industry can hardly be called prosperous. Over the past half century, the number of farms has more than halved, and so has the land area. The protracted crisis that gripped the "corn belt" had a painful impact on Minnesota. The land is becoming cheaper, the cost of production has practically not increased in the 80s.

The life of the state, as nowhere else, is determined by a single cluster of population. Only about 15% of its inhabitants are concentrated in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, but in the immediate vicinity of them there are 23 cities (out of 29) with a population of 25 - 50 thousand inhabitants, plus Bloomington with 80 thousand, and in general this agglomeration is inhabited by more than half of the state's population - only 5.5% of its territory. Therefore, it is necessary to speak about the "Twin Cities" especially.

To begin with, their metropolitan area serves as the economic, social and cultural capital of the entire northern part of "Middle America", an area covering a tenth of the country. It stretches from the Upper Peninsula (Michigan) through northwestern Wisconsin, captures the northern part of Iowa, includes Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Montana. Within this vast territory lies an area directly gravitating towards the "Twin Cities", it consists of Minnesota, North and almost all of South Dakota (except its southwestern part), a third of Montana (eastern) and northwestern Wisconsin. This area is closely and diversely connected to the Twin Cities - by telephone network and air routes, wholesale trade, the migration of young people to study at colleges and universities, banking services and the reception of radio and television programs, subscription to newspapers, and even loyalty to the sports teams of the megalopolis.

The location of Minneapolis and St. Poya was predetermined by the geography of the Mississippi River. In the early decades of the last century, Steamboats traveling up it from St. Louis ended up on the north side of the bend in St. Paul. Here, the north bank was flat, which facilitated the unloading and transfer of goods by horse-drawn transport. Trout Creek, through moraine rolling country to Minneapolis and on north and west. If it weren’t for such convenience, above St. Paul, ships would have to move in a rocky and changing channel, moreover, above the confluence of the river. Minnesota, it is enclosed by steep banks formed during the retreat of the St. Anthony Falls as the Pleistocene glaciers melt; here the ships would have nowhere to land or unload.

At the waterfalls of St. Anthony, so named by the French pioneers and missionaries, the fall of the river. The Mississippi is about 20 m. In the days of the pioneers, they served as the largest source of energy west of Niagara Falls, they were quickly adapted for grinding grain and sawing logs; ornamental wood was sold in the cities down the river.

Economic activity developed here in 1820-1860, Minneapolis became an industrial center, and St. Paul became a transport, storage, transshipment hub. With the settlement of the north of "Middle America" ​​and the development of agriculture, forestry, mining, and railway construction, both cities also developed. In Minneapolis, the industrial district developed around the waterfalls on both sides of the river. A little higher is the island of Nikole, where a bridge was subsequently built. At its western end, around Bridge Square, a shopping center has developed. The first railroads passed through this industrial area, through the shopping center; Union Station was built in Bridge Square. In St. Paul, meanwhile, a shopping mall and train station were taking shape west of the industrial and warehouse area that ran along the wharf and road along the Trout Creek valley.

In the XX century. the development of both cities was determined mainly by the location of tram lines built by private companies under license from the city authorities, as well as new residential areas that were built along them. The tram tracks ran mostly south and southwest through rolling countryside. After the retreat of the glacier, many lakes remained here; the largest of them, Minnetonka, with winding banks more than 1.5 thousand km long, serves as the source of the Minnehaha River, which crosses the southern part of Minneapolis to the Mississippi and gives this area a special attraction. The city authorities bought almost the entire shores of these lakes and rivers for the construction of public parks here. In St. Paul, meanwhile, the main housing development for the middle and wealthy classes was behind the tram lines that led west from the center; Summit Avenue has turned into a boulevard of unique beauty with the palaces of the local elite and stretches for 10 km, to the very banks of the Mississippi.

The current geography of the "Twin Cities" reflects all these trends of a century ago. Minneapolis, located on the West Bank, became the main "twin". Its central part, the business district, is not just the center of the city, but also the functional capital of the entire upper part of "Middle America". The population of the agglomeration is already 2.2 million inhabitants, but two-thirds of them, including all recent growth, are concentrated in the suburbs to the north, west and south of Minneapolis, in an area that gravitates towards it. As for St. Paul, to the northeast of it there are few people - poor farms, lakes and forests, depression-ridden mining villages and summer cottages, and to the east and south the zone of influence of Chicago begins, it is already felt in the valley of the river. St. Croix, on the border with Wisconsin.

Interstate 94 today allows a western Wisconsin resident to drive to St. Paul in as little as 30 minutes, and many run so frequently that the Census Bureau has every reason to include this part of Wisconsin in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. West of Minneapolis, Freeway 94 heads to North Dakota and Montana; another important freeway, 35, runs from Duluth on Lake Superior through the "Twin Cities" into Texas. The third element in the freeway system is the two ring roads that run through the suburbs.

Tram lines were built at the end of the century with a clearly excessive density, which interfered with the building density in the "twins", as a result, the cities remained one of the most sparse among the large agglomerations of the United States. On the other hand, an unusually dense network of first-class highways that cut through the agglomeration makes it possible to get to any office, warehouse or factory in clusters of office buildings and industrial “parks” on the outskirts of the agglomeration with an area of ​​​​more than 5 thousand square meters at any time of the day in less than an hour. km. As factory blocks dispersed and left the centers of these cities, corporate headquarters, homes for childless families, recreational, commercial, and cultural institutions gradually grew up there.

In Minneapolis and St. Paul, many neighborhoods are connected to each other at the second floor level by "skyways" - glazed galleries above the street, heated in winter and cooled in summer. This allows local residents and tourists, shoppers and employees of institutions to park their cars on the periphery of the central quarters and then roam there on foot without going out into the open air.

According to employment statistics, its industry and professional structure, the Twin Cities do not differ from other large multifunctional centers of the United States. But the "twins" have important features that ordinary statistics do not reflect. So, there are unusually many headquarters of large international corporations here. Moreover, if in other states their founders, main contributors and managers are geographically dispersed, in this case they all live nearby, and this makes companies more responsible for the general public and its interests. The boards of many of the largest philanthropic organizations are also located here.

The traditional spirit of cooperation between citizens, which has already been discussed above, is clearly manifested in the "Twin Cities", while other large cities usually suffer from deep alienation between their inhabitants. This spirit of cooperation is to some extent connected with the social and ethnic homogeneity of the population. According to the 1980 census, there are only 50,000 blacks, and 50,000 Indians, Asians, and other minorities, perhaps the lowest proportion in large agglomerations. Many of these minorities are well-to-do, although poverty is still a serious problem for many blacks, especially for young single mothers and the elderly, and for Indians who still struggle to adjust to life in the big modern city. ; there are also many older whites with incomes below the poverty line. And yet, the poor make up significantly less than 10% of the population of the "twins", this is the lowest figure for the country's large agglomerations.

That's why many Americans see Minneapolis and St. Paul as set apart from other major urban areas. The beauty of the surrounding nature and the "progressive spirit" of society are a lot. Although winters are cold and summers are hot, few people leave places that combine the advantages of a large center with the absence of many of the problems that usually accompany large crowds.

This essay was born as a result of Soviet-American cooperation: the essay was co-authored by University of Minnesota professor John Adams, who lectured at Moscow State University.

J. Adams, L. V, Smirnyagin

On May 11, 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state of the union. The peculiar protrusion to the north is the result of a border agreement with Britain before the area was thoroughly explored.

State geography

Minnesota's landscape stretches from the edge of the subarctic forest to the heart of the Corn Belt. Most of the land has been covered by glaciers several times, and its surface has been shaped by constant freezing, thawing and ice movement. Outstanding geomorphological reminders of that era are the continuous farmlands, thousands of lakes, steep slopes, glacial lakes, and rolling plains that make up today's Minnesota landscape. The state's rich soils developed on crushed mineral rocks left behind by retreating glaciers. The average height of the landscape ranges from 184 m above sea level (Lake Superior) to 701 m at Eagle Mountain.

Minnesota's thousands of rivers flow north, east, and south before emptying into the Hudson Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico, respectively. The state got its name from the word Dakota (Sioux) - the main tributary of Minnesota.

Interesting fact! Dakota literally means "sky-colored water".

The northernmost and largest state of America consists of vast forests, fertile prairies and countless bodies of water. The latter served as the basis for one of Minnesota's countless nicknames, "The Land of 10,000 Lakes." In fact, there are slightly more of them (about 12,000). Together, the lakes cover an area of ​​more than 10 acres (4 ha). The main feature of the state is almost 13,000 square kilometers (5,000 sq mi) of inland fresh water.

Minnesota on the world map

This is one of the largest states in the US. On the north side, it is surrounded by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, as well as the Upper Lakes. To the east it is adjacent to the state of Wisconsin.

The southern and western sides were surrounded by the states of Iowa, South and North Dakota.

Climate and weather

Temperature changes in Minnesota occur not only seasonally, but also from one part of the state to another. It is hot here in summer, and in the northern regions frost is possible in any month.

In July, the average daily maximum reaches +29°C in southern Minnesota and +21°C near the shoreline of Lake Superior. The average daily maximum in January varies from -4 °C in the south to -9 °C in the north. The minimum ranges from -15 °C to -21 °C. The frost-free period lasts less than 90 days in the northern parts of the country and more than 160 days in the southern parts.

Average annual rainfall ranges from 500mm in the northwest to over 750mm in the southeast. Seasonal snowfall ranges from 1000mm in the western part of the state to over 1800mm in the northeast.

From about mid-December to mid-March, almost all of Minnesota is occupied by continuous snow cover.

State Nature

The original vegetation falls into three main categories: coniferous, deciduous forests, and prairies. Coniferous vegetation occupies the northeastern part of the state. It includes pine, spruce, fir, as well as tamarack, which grows in swampy areas. The hardwood belt extends from the southeast to the northeast to the Canadian border, bypassing Minneapolis/Saint Paul and located on the southern and western side of the coniferous forest. In width, deciduous forests occupy from 65 to 130 km. They mainly consist of oak, maple, linden, ash, elm, poplar and elderberry. To the south and west of the deciduous forests is the prairie. Most of it is farmland, but one-third of Minnesota is still covered by forests.

Mammals found throughout the state include deer, foxes, raccoons, porcupines, minks, weasels, skunks, muskrats, marmots, and squirrels. In the north, there are black bears, moose, wolves, coyotes, lynxes, otters and beavers. Common year-round birds include tits, woodpeckers, grosbeaks, cardinals, sparrows, and jays. Migratory birds include ducks, geese, gulls, coots, thrushes and herons.

Interesting fact! The state symbol is the polar loon.

Among the game are also common hazel grouse, quail, partridge, wild turkeys and pheasants. The main predators include hawks, eagles, owls and eagles. The tree rattlesnake is found in several southeastern counties.

Walleye is the most popular fish in the state. Among fishermen, it takes an honorable first place. Other commercial fish include northern pike, maskinong, perch, lake trout, crappie, sunfish and eel. Many streams are home to brown and rainbow trout. In the deep cold waters of the Upper Lake, you can find cod, coho salmon, king salmon, salmon, herring and whitefish.

Population of Minnesota

Canadians, as well as those of English, Scottish, and Scotch-Irish ancestry, first settled in Minnesota in the early 19th century. Most of them were entrepreneurs who helped build institutions and participated in town meetings to discuss legislative matters. Several localities held them even before Minnesota became a state in 1858.

The first major immigrant groups in the second half of the 19th century were Germans, Swedes and Norwegians who cleared forests, built railways, worked the soil and sold. At that time, the German settlers were numerically dominant. They occupied central and south-central Minnesota. Norwegian settlers moved west, forming the main ethnic group in the west-central region of the state and in the Red River valley. The Swedish settlement is located north of Twin City in west-central and northwestern Minnesota. A significant number of Finns settled in the northeast; Poles - in the southeastern and central part of the state; gypsies - south of Twin City; the Irish are in the south; the French and French Canadians in northwestern Minnesota; the Dutch and Flemings in the southwestern part; Icelanders in northwestern Minnesota; Danes, Welsh and Swiss all over the state.

Interesting fact! The Indian population is represented by the Ojibwa people (also Chippewa or Anishinabe), half of which is located in the Twin City area. The rest live on reservations in rural Minnesota.

Each ethnic group brought their own religious traditions. Residents of central and south-central Minnesota (mostly of German, Polish, and Romani origin) are Roman Catholic. Germans and people from the Scandinavian countries are Lutherans. Muslim and Buddhist communities meet in the cities, while the Twin City area is dominated by Jews.

10 cities in Minnesota

Minnesota is a huge state, ranked 12th in area. According to 2009 data provided by the US Census Bureau, Minnesota ranks 21st out of 50 in terms of population, so there is more land than people.

Minneapolis: 413,651

Minneapolis is the most recognizable city in the state. It hosts three of the four major sports teams. In 2008, the city hosted the Republican National Convention.

This is the most underrated place in the northern United States. Amazing views of the horizon from the embankment, three professional sports stadiums, many art centers and theaters. Perfect brewing technology, the best park system in the country, and a gourmet paradise where you can enjoy Scandinavian cuisine for breakfast, Ethiopian cuisine for lunch, “hot dishes” for dinner, and sipping cocktails on the Ferris wheel.

Saint Paul: 302,398

Saint Paul is the state capital and home of the Minnesota Wild hockey team.

Rochester: 208,880

Rochester is home to the world famous Mayo Clinic with 33,179 employees.

Duluth: 86,293

Duluth is located in the northeast corner of the state and borders Wisconsin and Lake Superior, which is the largest freshwater lake in the world. The city is also adjacent to the Superior National Wildlife Refuge and is famous for its four-season climate.

Bloomington: 84,465 people

Bloomington is home to the Mall of America, the largest mall in the United States. According to bloomingtonmn.org, the center is large enough to accommodate 32 Boeing 747s. To the south, Bloomington is bordered by the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.

Brooklyn Park: 79,707

Brooklyn Park is located in Hennepin County and borders the Mississippi River to the east. The park area covers more than 8 million square meters.

Plymouth: 73,987

According to the city's website, in 2008 Plymouth was ranked #1 in Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live". At the same time, cities with a population of 50,000 to 300,000 people were taken into account. In 2010, he hit the top 12.

Woodbury: 65,659

Much of the City of Woodbury's area is away from freeways. In 2014, it was ranked #12 in Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live".

Egan: 65,453 people

At one time, Egan was called the "Onion Capital of the United States" due to the large amount of arable land.

Maple Grove: 65,406 people

On the territory of Maple Grove there are seven lakes, many parks and 48 playgrounds.

Transport

Minnesota's transportation infrastructure is concentrated in the Twin City area. Regional and transcontinental rail and road systems radiate from the heart of the Twin Cities. Northeast Minnesota trains carry iron ore and taconite products, which are then shipped to Wisconsin.

Since the discovery (1959) of the waterway in the Great Lakes region, products from the Midwest have spread throughout the world. In many parts of the state, river transport has become the main mode of transportation for passengers and goods. Mississippi River barges carry bulk products to major inland ports in St. Paul and Minneapolis. Coal, oil and salt are delivered upstream. Grain, sand and gravel are transported in the opposite direction.

The Twin City area, served by several commercial airlines, is also an air hub for the Upper Midwest. The Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport has a well-established satellite connection.

Cottage Grove

Airplanes are not allowed to land in city parks.
Plants should not be watered on odd days. The exception is the thirty-first day.

Hibbing

The duties of the police include the extermination of cats seen in any public place.

Minneapolis

People are not allowed to go up or down the narrow alleys.
Red cars cannot drive on Lake Street.

minneton

Do not drive a truck with dirty tires or place stickers on the sidewalk.
It is forbidden to convince another person to go to the massage therapist after 23:00.

Saint Cloud

You can't eat hamburgers on Sundays.

Top attractions in Minnesota

In addition to the Bloomington Mall and the Minnesota Zoo, the state boasts a wealth of attractions and cultural sites. The traveler will learn about the rich history of the Midwest, explore nature and enjoy the Minnesota lifestyle.

Lighthouse "Split Rock"

The Split Rock Lighthouse is a historic site located in Two Harbors. According to the Minnesota Historical Society, this is one of the most famous landmarks in the state, which was built in 1910. Those who come here to relax often climb the hills, walk along the base of the lighthouse, and also enjoy the picturesque view of the lake. "Split Rock" can be visited from May 15 to October 15. As of January 2018, the ticket price is USD 10 for adults; 8 USD for pensioners and students; 6 USD for children aged 6 to 17. Children aged 5 and under are admitted free.

Walker Arts Center

The Walker Art Center is an important cultural attraction in Twin City with a large collection of sculptures, paintings, photographs, artwork, digital works and other exhibits. The center displays more than 11,000 works and 1,200 art books. It also has a sculpture garden where visitors can take a self-guided tour and admire the strange pieces. Among them you can see the Spoon Bridge, as well as a magnificent greenhouse. As of January 2018, admission to the gallery is $15 for adults and $13 for seniors aged 65 and over. The cost for students and teenagers with ID is 10 USD. Entrance to the sculpture garden is free for all visitors.

valley fair

ValleyFair is a 90-acre amusement park located in Shakopee. It can entertain both small children and teenagers and adults of all ages. Valleyfair is equipped with Soak City Water Park, rollercoasters, extreme rides, as well as Challenge Park, where you can find go-kart tracks, arcades and an 18-hole mini golf course. Visitors can experience classic carnival rides including the traditional carousel, ferris wheel, inflatable boats and hot air balloon rides. One-day package for visitors aged 3 to 61 is 45 USD (as of January 2018). Children under 2 years old are admitted free of charge.

Minneapolis waterfront area

The waterfront (the oldest section of the city) is home to several local cafes, trendy bistros, the historic Teatro de la June Lune, a soap factory and the new Guthrie Theatre. Visitors can enjoy the fresh air at Boom Island Park or walk along the Great River Birding Trail, relax at the Tuggs River Saloon or Vic's Restaurant. You can follow the publishing process at the Open Book Center. The Minneapolis River area is managed by the Minnesota Historical Society, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Council, Minneapolis Department of Planning and Economic Development, and other community organizations.

Paul Bunyan Waterpark

Paul Bunyan Waterpark is located in The Lodge at Brainerd Lakes. This is a family resort offering cabins and spacious suites designed in the style of the Midwest. The water park is located on the territory of the hotel and has an area of ​​2800 square meters. It features a holographic water slide, a 222-square-meter play center, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, and an indoor ring-shaped pool. As of January 2018, daily entry Friday through Sunday is $17.95 and Monday through Thursday is $11.95.

Conclusion

The state of Minnesota covers an area of ​​225,181 square kilometers. It is the northernmost state in the US, as only Alaska is further north. A cold climate prevails here, many mammals and migratory birds live, and the entire territory of Minnesota is covered with forests and parks. A quarter of the state's population is from Scandinavian countries, but the majority of residents are of German origin, as this is the largest ethnic group. By the end of the 20th century, the service sector began to dominate the economy of Minnesota. It surpassed agriculture, mining, and manufacturing, which were the main sources of income in the state upon settlement.

Saint Paul is the capital of Minnesota, and the Twin City area (Minneapolis-Saint Paul) is the main administrative, economic and cultural center of the state.

Infrastructure and transport are developed at the proper level. Like any state, Minneapolis has its own laws, and sometimes very strange ones. Attractions such as the Split Rock Lighthouse, the Minneapolis waterfront area, or the Walker Arts Center will leave no one indifferent.

Minnesota is located in the center of the west of the country. Included in the states under the name "States of the Northwest Center".

The state's nickname is the North Star State, the Gopher State.

The capital of Minnesota is the city of Minneapolis, which is located on the banks of the Mississippi. Together with the city, it is a "twin city".

In terms of population (2011 data: 5,344,861 people), Minnesota ranks 21st in the United States. In terms of area occupied (225,181 km2), it is the 12th in the country.

Before the arrival of Europeans here, for a long time the Ojibwe, Winnebago, Sioux and Cheyenne Indians lived on the territory of present-day Minnesota.

The first Europeans (namely, they were Scandinavians) arrived in Minnesota already in the 14th century. Although this information is not yet considered completely reliable. At the end of the 17th century, the French expeditions of Duluth, Champlain and Lasalle arrived here. It was Dyuluth who spoke out about the fact that this territory would henceforth belong to the possessions of France. But as a result of the Seven Years' War, Minnesota became part of the British.

Only at the beginning of the 19th century did all the lands come into the possession of the United States, but only in 1858 (May 11) Minnesota was declared part of the Union. Thus it was the 32nd state of the country.

The economic growth of the state was especially evident in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was due to the emergence of new steel mills of the huge corporation United States Steel and the development of a maritime shipping company across the St. Lawrence River.

Minnesota is an industrial state. Here, the branches of mechanical engineering, food industry, printing industry, and the production of computer equipment are distinguished by their greatest development. Agriculture is also developing well with the cultivation of corn, wheat, soybeans, sugar beet, and green peas. In animal husbandry, dairy is the most in demand.

The mining industry (iron ore, sand, crushed stone) is developing at a fairly high level.

As for the climate, the state is characterized by very cold winters, and summers, on the contrary, are too hot. The southern part of the state is nicknamed "tornado alley", because. hurricanes hit here quite a few times a year.

Minnesota is also known by its unofficial name of the "State of Ten Thousand Lakes", because. there are more than twelve thousand lakes. The deepest and largest is Lake Superior. It is on the territory of the state that the famous Mississippi River originates.

Currently, among the population of Minnesota, the Caucasoid race is common (88%), the Negroid and Hispanic races average 4% each.

Major cities in Minnesota

Minneapolis: 387,753 people
: 277,000 people
: 101,659 people
Duluth: 85,600 people
Bloomington: 80,869 people
Brooklyn Park: 71,308
Plymouth: 70,102 people
Egan: 63,751 people
Coon Rapids: 62,700 people
Eden Prairie: 62,407
Blaine: 61,942 people
St. Cloud: 61,198
Burnsville: 59,118
Woodbury: 54,635
Lakeville: 51,722 people
Minnetonka: 51,451 people
Maple Grove: 50,365 people
Idaina: 46,100 people
Apple Valley: 45,527
St. Louis Park: 43,600 people
Mankato: 36,500 people
Maplewood: 35,500 people
Richfield: 33,900 people
Moorhead: 33,400 people
Cottage Grove: 33,081 people
Roseville: 32,700 people
Inver Grove Heights: 32,300 people

Minnesota State Map:

Minnesota (eng. Minnesota) - a state in the Midwest of the United States, one of the so-called states of the Northwest Center. Population - 5,314,879 (2010; 21st in the US) Ethnic composition: Germans - 37.3%, Norwegians - 17.0%, Irish - 12.2%, Swedes - 10.0%. The capital is Saint Paul. The largest city is Minneapolis. Other major cities: Bloomington, Duluth, Rochester, Brooklyn Park.

Year of formation: 1858 (32nd in order)
State slogan: North Star
Formal title: State of Minnesota
Largest city in the state: Minneapolis
State capital: Saint Paul
Population: more than 5.2 million people (21st place in the country).
Area: 225.3 thousand sq. km. (12th in the country.)
Other big cities in the state: Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Duluth, Egan, Plymouth, Rochester, St. Cloud, St. Paul.

History of Minnesota

Before the arrival of Europeans, the Ojibwe, Sioux, Cheyenne and Winnebago Indian tribes lived in Minnesota.

Perhaps the first Europeans to set foot on these lands were the Scandinavians back in the 14th century, but their stay left few traces (Kensington Runestone), if it, of course, was in reality. In modern times, the first Europeans to explore the territory of Minnesota were the French, in particular the expeditions of Samuel de Champlain, Daniel Duluth (the city of Duluth is named after him) and Robert de Lasalle. In 1679 Duluth declared the province part of the French Empire. In 1763, after the Seven Years' War, the territory was transferred to Great Britain in accordance with the Treaty of Paris.

The area of ​​what is now Minnesota east of the Mississippi became part of the United States after the Revolutionary War, while another area to the west became part of the United States as a result of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

On March 3, 1849, the Territory of Minnesota separated from Iowa, which at first included a significant part of modern North and South Dakota. May 11, 1858 Minnesota was admitted to the Union, becoming the 32nd state of the country. The state constitution was adopted in 1858.

During the Civil War, there was no fighting in Minnesota. Representatives of the state fought in the army of northerners.

In 1862, the Santee Sioux rebellion took place here.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the state experienced rapid economic development. In 1915, the United States Steel corporation's steel mills were opened in Duluth. Maritime shipping also developed thanks to navigation along the St. Lawrence River.

Geography and climate of Minnesota

The area of ​​Minnesota is 225,365 km² (12th place among the states), of which 8.4% is on the water surface. In the north and northeast, Minnesota borders on the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, from which the state is separated in places by lakes Lesnoe, Superior, and others, as well as the Rainy and Pidgin rivers. Minnesota borders Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, and South Dakota and North Dakota to the west.

The northern part of Minnesota is located on the crystalline Laurentian Shield, with rocky ridges and deep lakes (about 15 thousand lakes in total) connected with its outcrops. To the northwest and west are prairies. Central and southern parts of Minnesota lie on a flat plain. About a third of the territory is covered with forests. There are more than 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, which is reflected in one of the state's official nicknames.

The climate of Minnesota is humid temperate continental. The variation between recorded historical maximum and minimum temperatures is 97 °C, from −51 °C (recorded February 2, 1996) to 46 °C (recorded July 29, 1917 and July 6, 1936) Minnesota is believed to be located , the coldest place in the continental United States is the "fridge of the nation" city of International Falls.

Economy of Minnesota

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state's GDP in 2003 was $211 billion. Minnesota is an industrial state. The twin cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) host the headquarters of many large corporations, including 3M. The Mesabi iron ore region provides more than half of the US iron ore production.

The opening of the St. Lawrence Deep Waterway made Duluth an international seaport. Sand, gravel and stone are mined.

In the 20th century, industries such as mechanical engineering, printing, the food industry and woodworking developed, and in recent decades, the production of computer technology.

Agriculture is also well developed in Minnesota, although farmers make up only about 2% of the population. The main agricultural crops are soybeans, corn, seeded grasses, and wheat. There is also dairy farming.