1808 MINNESOTA 1908

50 YEARS BEFORE MINNESOTA'S RATIFICATION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

1809

1812

- December 7, Southwest of Minnesota became part of Missouri Territory.

1817

- The fur trading post of Fond du Lac in Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota, controlled by the American Fur Company of John Jacob Astor.

1818

- December 3, Northeast of Minnesota became part of Michigan Territory.

1825

- Historic Fort Snelling in Minnesota, build and completed by the 5th Regiment of Infantry troops, at the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.

1826

- Faribault established by Alexander Faribault as a fur trading post in Rice County, Minnesota. Coordinates 44°18'N-93°16'W.

1834

- June 28, Southwest of Minnesaota became part of Michigan Territory.

1836

- July 4, North and Southwest Minnesota became part of Wisconsin Territory.

1843

- Bloomington settled, near the Minnesota River in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Coordinates 44°50'N-93°17'W.

1849

- Benton County organized in Minnesota, seat Foley.

- Dakota County established in Minnesota, seat Hastings.

- Ramsey County organized in Minnesota, seat Saint Paul.

- Wabasha County established in Minnesota, seat Wabasha.

- Washington County, organized in Minnesota, seat Stillwater.

- June 1, Pennsylvania born lawyer Alexander Ramsey, appointed first Territorial Governor of Minnesota.

1850

- Minnesota population, 6,077 residents.

- Itasca County established in Minnesota, seat Grand Rapids.

1851

- Cass County established in Minnesota, seat Walker.

- Chisago County established in Minnesota, seat Center City.

- The Santee Dakota native Americans, gave up most of their land in Minnesota.

1852

- Hennepin County established in Minnesota, seat Minneapolis.

1853

- Blue Earth County established in Minnesota, seat Mankato.

- Fillmore County established in Minnesota, seat Preston.

- Goodhue County established in Minnesota, seat Red Wing.

- Le Sueur County established in Minnesota, seat Le Center.

- Nicollet County established in Minnesota, seat Saint Peter.

- Rice County established in Minnesota, seat Faribault.

- Scott County estabnlished in Minnesota, seat Shakopee.

- Sibley County established in Minnesota, seat Gaylord.

- May 15, Willis Arnold Gorman, appointed governor of Minnesota (1853-April 23, 1857).

1854

- A trading post established on Minnesota Point in Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota, by surveyor George R. Stuntz.

- Houston County established in Minnesota, seat Caledonia.

- Winona County established in Minnesota, seat Winona.

1855

- Brown County established in Minnesota, seat New Ulm.

- Carver County established in Minnesota, seat Chaska.

- Dodge County established in Minnesota, seat Mantorville.

- A Michigan lumberman, Edwin Eveleth visited the 'Eveleth' area, later a village named after him in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

- Faribault County established in Minnesota, seat Blue Earth.

- Freeborn County established in Minnesota, seat Albert Lea.

- Mower County established in Minnesota, seat Austin.

- Olmsted County established in Minnesota, seat Rochester.

- Renville County established in Minnesota, seat Olivia.

- St. Louis County established in Minnesota, seat Duluth.

- Stearns County established in Minnesota, seat Saint Cloud.

- Steel County established in Minnesota, seat Owatonna.

- Todd County established in Minnesota, seat Long Prairie.

- Wright County established in Minnesota, seat Buffalo.

1856

- Duluth, laid out in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Coordinates 46°47'N-92°06'W.

- Lake County established in Minnesota, seat Two Harbors

- McLeod County established in Minnesota, seat Glencoe.

- Meeker County established in Minnesota, seat Litchfield.

- Morrison County established in Minnesota, seat Little Falls.

- Pine County established in Minnesota, seat Pine City.

- Sherburne County detached from Benton County and established in Minnesota, seat Elk River.

1857

- Carlton County established in Minnesota, seat Carlton.

- Cottonwood County established in Minnesota, seat Windom.

- Crow Wing County established in Minnesota, seat Brainerd.

- Fergus Falls settled on Otter Tail River, seat of Otter Tail County in Minnesota. Coordinates 46°17'N-96°04'W. Attractions & Recreation : Maplewood State Park

- Isanti County established in Minnesota, seat Cambridge.

- Jackson County established in Minnesota, seat Jackson.

- Martin County established in Minnesota, seat Fairmont.

- Mille Lacs County established in Minnesota, seat Milaca.

- Nobles County established in Minnesota, seat Worthington.

- Pipestone County established in Minnesota, seat Pipestone.

- Rock County established in Minnesota, seat Luverne.

- Waseca County established in Minnesota, seat Waseca.

- April 23, Samuel Medary, appointed governor of Minnesota (1857-May 24, 1858).

- May 23, Aitkin County organized in Minnesota. Named after English fur trader William Aitkin, county seat Aitkin. Cities & Towns : Aitkin, Ball Bluff, Davidson, Farm Island, Fleming, Glen, Haugen, Hazelton, Hill City, Hill Lake, Idun, Jevne, Jewett, Kimberly, Lakeside, Libby, Logan, Macville, Malmo, McGrath, McGregor, Millward, Morrison, Nordland, Northeast Aitkin, Northwest Aitkin, Palisade, Pliny, Rice River, Salo, Seavey, Shamrock, Southeast Aitkin, Spalding, Spencer, Tamarack, Turner, Verdon, Wagner, Waukenabo, Wealthwood, White Pine, Workman.

- May 23, Anoka County formed from Ramsey County in Minnesota, county seat Anoka. Municipalities : Andover, Anoka, Bethel, Blaine, Burns, Centerville, Circle Pines, Columbia Heights, Columbus, Coon Rapids, East Bethel, Fridley, Hamlake, Hilltop, Lexington, Lino Lakes, Linwood, Oak Grove, Ramsey, St. Francis, Spring Lake Park.

1858

May 11, Minnesota MN, 32nd state entered the Union

Minnesota Today : capital St. Paul. Area 86,943 sq.mi.(225.182km²), 12th largest state. Counties 87 : Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborne, Goodhue, Grant, Hennepin, Houston, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Kootchiching, Lac Qui Parle, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Redwood, Rennville, Rice, Rock, Roseau, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Steams, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Watonwan, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine. Attractions & Recreation : Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, Big Stone Wetland Management District, Chippewa National Forest, Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Cut Foot Sioux Visitor Center, Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District, Duluth-Superior Harbor, Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway, Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, Grand Portage National Monument, Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuge, Keweenaw Waterway, Lac Qui Parle Lake, Lake Traverse, Litchfield Wetland Management District, Mile Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, Minneapolis Grand Rounds, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota Valley Wetland Management District, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, Mississippi River Headwaters Lakes Project, Mississippi River Pools, Morris Wetland Management District, Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, Norway Beach Visitor Information Center, Orwell Lake, Pipestone National Monument, Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Rydell National Wildlife Refuge, Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Superior National Forest, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, Voyageurs National Park, Windom Wetland Management District.

- Albert Lea city founded in Freeborn County, Minnesota. County seat located on Fountain and Albert Lea lakes. Named after US Army colonel Albert Lea.

- Becker County established in Minnesota, seat Detroit Lakes.

- Bloomington, became a township in Hennepin County, Minnesota.

- Douglas County established in Minnesota, seat Alexandria.

- Kanabec County established in Minnesota, seat Mora.

- Kandiyohi County established in Minnesota, seat Willmar.

- Otter Tail County established in Minnesota, seat Fergus Falls.

- Polk County established in Minnesota, seat Crookston.

- Seabury Divinity School organized in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota.

- Wadena County established in Minnesota, seat Wadena.

- Wilkin County established in Minnesota, seat Breckenridge.

- May 24, fur trader, Michigan born Henry Hastings Sibley, became first Minnesota State Governor (1858-January 2, 1860).

1859

- Albert Lea became the seat of Freeborn County in Minnesota.

- For the second time (1851), Santee Dakota native Americans gave up most of their land in Minnesota.

1860

- Minnesota population, 172,023 residents.

- Watonwan established in Minnesota, seat Saint James.

- January 2, Alexander Ramsey, first Territorial Governor, appointed second Minnesota State Governor.

Civil War period

- Big Stone County established in Minnesota, seat Ortonville.

- Clay County established in Minnesota, seat Moorhead.

- Pope County established in Minnesota, seat Glenwood.

- Redwood County established in Minnesota, seat Redwood Falls.

- Stevens County established in Minnesota, seat Morris County.

- Traverse County established in Minnesota, seat Wheaton.

- The Dakota Conflict, U.S. government broke his promises and some Dakota Native Americans went to war against farmers and towns in Minnesota.

Civil War period

- Iron ore discovered near Ely in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

- School for the deaf, established in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota.

- Lac Qui Parle County established in Minnesota, seat Madison.

- July 10, Henry Adoniram Swift, elected third governor of Minnesota (1863-January 11, 1864).

Civil War period

- January 11, Stephen Miller, elected fourth governor of Minnesota (1864-January 8, 1866).

1866

- Beltrami County established in Minnesota, seat Bemidji.

- January 8, William Rainey Marshall, elected fifth governor of Minnesota (1866-January 9, 1870).

1867

- LeRoy, platted in Mower County, Minnesota. Attractions & Recreation : Lake Louis State Park, Shooting Star Wild Flower & Historic Route.

- The Shattuck School established in Faibault, Rice County, Minnesota.

- May 21, Frances Densmore, born in Red Wing, Minnesota. Ethnologist, music of Native American tribes

1868

- Grant County established in Minnesota, seat Elbow Lake.

1870

- Minnesota population, 439,706 residents.

- Chippewa County established in Minnesota, seat Montevideo.

- Duluth, incorporated as city in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

- Fergus Falls laid out in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

- Swift County established in Minnesota, seat Benson.

- January 9, Horace Austin elected governor of Minnesota (1870-January 7, 1874).

1871

- Brainerd created as a logging camp by the Northern Pacific Railway, along the Mississippi River. County seat of Crow Wing County in Minnesota

- Duluth Ship Canal built, in the Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota.

- Lyon County established in Minnesota, seat Marshall.

- Northern Pacific Railroad operational in Aitkin County, Minnesota.

- Yellow Medicine County established in Minnesota, seat Granite Falls.

1872

- Crookston(The Crossing), settled on Red Lake River, seat of Polk County, Minnesota. Coordinates 47°47'N-96°37'W. Named for Colonel William Crooks, chief engineer of the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad.

- Faribault incorporated in Rice County, Minnesota.

- Fergus Falls incorporated as village in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

1873

- Lincoln County established in Minnesota, seat Ivanhoe

1874

- Cook County established in Minnesota, seat Grand Marais.

- School for the blind, established in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota.

- January 7, Cushman Kellog Davis, elected governor of Minnesota (1874-January 7, 1876).

1875

- Murray County established in Minnesota, seat Slayton.

1876

- January 7, John Sargent Pillsbury, elected governor of Minnesota (1876-January 10, 1882).

1877

- Duluth city, in St. Louis County, Minnesota, relegated to a village.

1878

1879

- Crookston incorporated in Polk County, Minnesota.

- School for the mentally retarded established in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota.

- Kittson County established in Minnesota, seat Hallock.

- Knife Falls (present Cloquet) settled on the St. Louis River in Carlton County, Minnesota.

- Marshall County established in Minnesota, seat Warren.

1880

- Minnesota population, 780,773 residents.

- Cloquet incorporated as village, in Carlton County, Minnesota.

1881

- Fergus Falls incorporated as city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

- Norman County established in Minnesota, seat Ada.

- August 18, Stephen Miller, died and buried in Worthington, Minnesota. Fourth governor of Minnesota (1864-1866).

1882

- January 10, Lucius Frederick Hubbard, elected governor of Minnesota (1882-January 5, 1887).

1883

- Hubbard County established in Minnesota, seat Park Rapids.

1884

- Ada, incorporated as a village in Minnesota.

1885

- Florence (now Ely) settled on Shagawa Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Coordinates 47°54'N-91°51'W. Attractions & Recreation : Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Superior National Forest, Valley Winter Sports Center.

- January 13, Schuyler Colfax, died in Mankato, Minnesota. Republican vice-president under President Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1873).

1886

- Cloquet (formerly Knife Falls) platted in Carlton County, Minnesota. Coordinates 46°43'N-92°28'W.

1887

- Duluth village, reincorporated as city in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

- Fergus Falls State Hospital established in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

- January 5, Andrew Ryan McGill, elected governor of Minnesota (1887-January 9, 1889).

- January 27, William Carl Blegen, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Archaeologist and professor of archaeology.

1888

- Bemidji, established on Lake Bemidji in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Named for an Chippewa Native American Chief. Coordinates 47°29'N-94°53'W. Attractions & Recreation : Lake Bemidji State Park

- Ely incorporated as village in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

1889

- January 9, William Rush Merriam, elected governor of Minnesota (1889-January 4, 1893).

1890

- Minnesota population, 1,310,283 residents.

- Ada village, in Minnesota became a town.

- Albany, incorporated in Stearns County, Minnesota.

1891

- Ely incorporated as city in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

- February 18, Henry H. Sibley, the first Minnesota State Governor, died in St. Paul.

1892

- Eveleth settled in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Coordinates 47°28'N-92°32'W. Attractions & Recreation : Leonidas Mine, Superior National Forest

- Iron ore discovered by David T. Adams in Eveleth, St. Louis County, Minnesota.

1893

- Eveleth incorporated as village in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

- January 4, Knute Nelson, elected governor of Minnesota (1893-January 31, 1895).

1894

- Roseau County established in Minnesota, seat Roseau.

1895

- January 31, David Marston Clough, elected governor of Minnesota ( 1895-January 2, 1899).

1896

- Bemidji, incorporated as a village in Beltrami County, Minnesota.

- Red Lake County established in Minnesota, seat Red Lake Falls.

- January 8, William Rainey Marshall, died and buried in St. Paul, Minnesota. Fifth governor of Minnesota (1866-1870).

- September 24, Scott F. Fitzgerald, born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Short story writer and novelist, works e.g. 'The Great Gatsby'.

1897

- October 15, first issue of the 'Albert Lea Tribune' newspaper, published in Freeborn County, Minnesota.

1899

- January 2, John Lind, elected governor of Minnesota (1899-January 7, 1901).

1900

- Minnesota population, 1,751,394 residents.

- April 1, William Benton, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Publisher and Chairman of 'Encyclopaedia Britannica'.

1901

- January 7, Samuel Rinnah Van Sant, elected governor of Minnesota (1901-January 4, 1905).

1902

- Clearwater County established in Minnesota, seat Bagley.

- Eveleth incorporated as city in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

1903

- April 22, Alexander Ramsey, died and buried in St. Paul, Minnesota. Second governor of Minnesota (1860-1863).

1904

- Cloquet incorporated as city, in Carlton County, Minnesota.

1905

- Bemidji, incorporated as a city in Beltrami County, Minnesota.

- January 4, John Albert Johnson, elected governor of Minnesota (1905-September 21, 1909).

1906

- Koochiching County established in Minnesota, seat International Falls.

- Mahnomen County established in Minnesota, seat Mahnomen.

1907

- Ada town, incorporated as city in Minnesota.

50 YEARS AFTER MINNESOTA'S RATIFICATION OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

- U.S. Army colonel Albert Lea surveyed a region in Freeborn County, Minnesota.

- Albert Lea incorporated as village in Freeborn County, Minnesota. Coordinates 43°39'N-83°22'W.

- June 7, Prince Rogers Nelson, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Musician, singer songwriter, record producer and actor - Prince Photo - Buy at AllPosters.com

- March 3, Jessica Claire Biel, born in Ely, Minnesota. Film and TV actress