Minnesota - the Land of 10,000 Lakes; the North Star State; the Gopher State

• the original name of the settlement that became St. Paul was Pig's Eye. Named for the French-Canadian whiskey trader, Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant.
• during the winter of 1888, residents of St. Paul built an ice palace 14 stories high covering more than an acre of land
• from a small sandpaper making facotr on the east side, Minnesota Mining and Manufactorying, 3M, has grown to be one of [sic] the most respected companies in the the world.
• from Prohibition Era "gangster" tours to narrative Mississippi cruises, St. Paul offers a variety of sightseeing excursions that are sure to entertain and inform.
• author F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul in 1896. The city features prominently in many of his stories.
• XCEL Energy Center will be home to the Republican National Convention in 2008.
• According to Sports Illustrated, St. Paul is the NEW HOCKEYTOWN U.S.A.