Minnesota: The North Star State

Minnesota: The North Star State — page 1 — 4 MINNESOTA INTRODUCTION Minnesota is famous for its many lakes One of the state’s nicknames is Land of 10,000 Lakes but there are actually more than 12,000 With so many lakes fishing and canoeing are popular recreational sports Along Minnesota’s lakeshores are a variety of cottages beaches tourist camps and resorts In addition to its lakes the state’s plentiful resources include its rivers forests minerals and fertile soil These resources have allowed a diverse economy to evolve there over many years Fur trapping flour milling and lumbering were early industries to develop in Minnesota Iron-ore mining has been vital to the northern part of the state Today food processing particularly of corn and dairy products and other manufacturing contribute greatly to the state’s wealth Minnesota is one of 13 states that share a border with Canada It is also the 12th largest state Minnesota is 358 miles wide at its widest point and 406 miles long Minneapolis windsurfers need not travel far to enjoy this water sport The city has 22 natural lakes within its limits Many Minnesotans learn to fish at a young age Minnesota has a few nicknames It is called the Gopher State and the Bread and Butter State but it is officially known as the North Star State The state flag features a wreath surrounding the state seal Three dates appear on the wreath 1819 for when Fort Snelling was founded 1858 for when Minnesota joined the Union and 1893 for when the flag was adopted The state name comes from a Dakota word meaning cloudy or sky colored water The name refers to the Minnesota River

Minnesota: The North Star State — page 2 — INTRODUCTION 5 Minnesota is in the north-central United States and lies near to the center of North America Manitoba and Ontario in Canada are its neighbors to the north North Dakota and South Dakota are to the west Iowa is to the south and Wisconsin and Lake Superior are to the east Most people travel to Minnesota by air or road A network of highways totaling 12,000 miles crisscrosses the state The state also boasts 10 commercial airports The largest airport in Minnesota is the Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport which serves more than 30 million travelers each year The natural landscape of Minnesota is etched in valleys prairies wilderness areas high bluffs rocky shores and of course its thousands and thousands of lakes One small part of Minnesota extends farther north than any other state in the country except Alaska Minnesota’s nickname the North Star State is a translation of the French motto on the state seal The Minneapolis St Paul International Airport typically has about a half million takeoffs and landings each year The highest point in Minnesota is Eagle Mountain at 2,301 feet It is located in the northeastern part of the state and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful parks on the planet Superior National Forest and its Boundary Water Canoe Wilderness Area are natural tourist attractions Greyhound Lines a company that provides bus transportation between cities began operation in Minnesota in 1914 The first route took miners from Hibbing to several nearby iron mines Minnesota Location Map Capital Saint Paul Interstate highways Scale 0 0 35 56 70 Mi 113 Km Population 4,919,479 Size 86,943 square miles Highest peak Eagle Mountain 2,301 feet

Minnesota: The North Star State — page 3 — 6 MINNESOTA Minnesota offers activities for all seasons from swimming and fishing in summer to skiing and iceboat racing in winter Many annual festivals attract thousands of local people and visitors from across the country each year About one out of every two Minnesotans lives within the greater area of Minneapolis and St Paul which together are known as the Twin Cities These neighboring cities straddle the Mississippi River at the river’s head of navigation Minneapolis is known for its clean modern look and its beautiful lakes and parks The state’s largest city it has 22 lakes and lagoons and more than 150 parks within The May Day Parade in Minneapolis features colorful and imaginative costumes its limits St Paul traces its roots to a 19th-century settlement called Pig’s Eye It has since grown to become Minnesota’s capital and second largest city Tobogganing is a great way to enjoy Minnesota’s cold winters The twin port of Duluth Minn and Superior Wis is the farthest inland water port in the world The port is 2,300 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean Minnesota claims more boats per person than any other state One person in six owns a boat in Minnesota Agate can be found around the Lake Superior area It is a beautiful quartz stone banded with rich red and orange These colors come from the iron ore in the soil Lake Superior agate is Minnesota's official gemstone

Minnesota: The North Star State — page 4 — INTRODUCTION 7 The pink and white lady’s slipper is one of the rarest wildflowers It is illegal to pick this official state flower The lady’s slipper thrives in swamps bogs and damp woods It grows very slowly and takes from four to 16 years to produce its first flower A lady’s slipper can live up to 50 years and can grow to four feet high The state fish is the walleye It lives in all parts of the state but is most numerous in the large cool lakes of the north Its eyes are sensitive to light so it lives in deep dark water during the day and moves to shallower water at night Minnesota fishers consider walleye a favorite catch Other official state symbols include the morel as the state mushroom wild rice as the state grain and milk as the state drink The pink and white lady’s slipper blooms in late June or early July The record catch of a walleye in Minnesota is 17 pounds 8 ounces Almost one third of Minnesota is forested The official state seal shows a barefoot farmer plowing a field near the St Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River The farmer's ax gun and powderhorn rest on a nearby stump as a Native American rides by on a horse The blueberry muffin is Minnesota’s official state muffin Wild blueberries are native to northeastern Minnesota and grow in bogs hillsides and forested areas The common loon also known as the great northern diver is the official state bird The name Minneapolis means city of water

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