"Minnesota – Gopher State" Top 5 Page for this destination Minnesota by grayfo

Minnesota is the twelfth largest state of the U.S. and with more than 12,000 lakes within its borders has become a popular choice attracting thousands of visitors each year. The source of the Mississippi was discovered in Minnesota at Lake Itasca, where it begins its 2,552-mile journey to the sea.

The state capital is Saint Paul and the largest city is Minneapolis.

The Gopher State is so called because of the striped gopher, a common species throughout Minnesota’s prairie region.

The State of Minnesota is named after the Minnesota River so named by the Dakota Sioux, with the Dakota word "mnishota" meaning "cloudy" or "milky water."

People who live in Minnesota or who come from Minnesota are called Minnesotans.

State Seal

Official Website
Explore Minnesota
Tourist Attractions

The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota shows a barefoot farmer ploughing his field near St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River. His axe is driven into a tree trunk, with his rifle and powderhorn nearby. An Indian on horseback rides south, a summer setting sun in the background. The state motto, "L'Etoile du Nord" (French for "Star of the North"), appears on a banner above the scenery. Around these images is the outermost ring, which reads "The Great Seal of the State of Minnesota". The bottom of the outer ring contains the date 1858, which is when Minnesota gained statehood.

State Flag

Albert Lea
Fairmont
Jackson
Minneapolis
Owatonna

Minnesota’s Flag is royal blue, with a gold fringe. At the centre is the state seal. Around the state seal is a wreath of the state flower, the lady slipper. Three dates are woven into the wreath: 1858, the year Minnesota became a state; 1819, the year Fort Snelling was established; and 1893, the year the official flag was adopted. The inner circle is surrounded by 19 five pointed stars representing Minnesota (the largest star) as the 19th state.

• In a nutshell:Motto: The Star of the North