Three
great rivers, the mighty Mississippi, the Red River of the North, and the
St. Lawrence all begin their long journeys within the state of Minnesota.
The source of the Mississippi had been sought for years, and it was
finally discovered here at Lake Itasca, where it begins its 2,552-mile
path to the sea.
If
you are ever asked to meet someone at Long Lake, you might want to take a
raincheck: Minnesota has at least 91 different lakes named Long Lake! With
more than 12,000 lakes within the borders of the state, unique names can
be scarce. The lakes of the northern portion of the state have transformed
the area into popular summer resorts, attracting thousands of visitors
each year with their pristine beauty.
| THE NAME:
The name of this state came from the Minnesota River so named by the Dakota Sioux for the river's
"cloudy" or "milky water." The Dakota word "mnishota" means "cloudy"
or "milky water."
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S.
State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994 |
| THE NICKNAMES:
The North Star State: Perhaps the most common nickname for Minnesota, "The North Star State" evolved
from the State Motto L'Etoile du Nord or "Star of the North." The State Motto appears on the
Great Seal of Minnesota and the
State Flag.
Land of 10,000 Lakes: This nickname reminds one of the many lakes in Minnesota. In fact, there are 11,842
lakes that are 10 acres or more. Depending on one's definition of a lake, we have seen numbers as high as
15,000. Minnesota's license plates display the legend "10,000 Lakes."
The Bread and Butter State: This name came into use at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, New York
in 1902. The superior wheat, flour and dairy products of Minnesota caused the state to be referred to as
"The Bread and Butter State."
The Wheat State: This name pays tribute to Minnesota's Wheat crops.
The Gopher State: According to Minnesota in Three Centuries, 1908, "Minnesota received its
most widely know sobriquet, "The Gopher State," from the striped gopher, a common species throughout our
prairie region."
It seems that there was some discussion in the middle of the 19th century, before Minnesota became a state, about whether to call
Minnesota "The Gopher State" or "The Beaver State." Opponents of "The Gopher State" called the striped gopher
an insignificant animal with a destructive nature. The striped gopher was too useless and undignified to
represent the future great state of Minnesota. Opponents of "The Beaver State" argued that the beaver,
while numerous in streams, was not abundant enough to represent to whole of Minnesota. A political cartoon,
widely circulated throughout the territory, gave wider exposure to the gopher and "The Beaver State" faded
into history.
New England of the West: Because of the large number of New England emigrants to the territory, Minnesota was
sometimes referred to as the "New England of the West."
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994
Shankle, George Earlie, Phd State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and
Other Symbols H. H. Wilson Company, New York - 1938 (Reprint)
Upham, Warren, "Minnesota in Three Centuries, 1655-1908, Semi-Centennial Edition", Free Press Printing Company, 1908 |
THE CITIZENS:
People who live in Minnesota or who come from Minnesota are called Minnesotans. |
THE QUARTER:
 |
| U.S. Mint image |
The second quarter to be released in 2005 commemorates the State of Minnesota, "Land of 10,000 Lakes." On May 11, 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state admitted into the Union, and as such, it is the 32nd coin to be issued in the United States Mint's popular 50 State Quarters® Program. The design features a tree-lined lake with two people fishing, a loon on the water, and a textured outline of the State surrounding its nickname, "Land of 10,000 Lakes."
The "Land of 10,000 Lakes" actually contains more than 15,000 such bodies of water whose total shoreline exceeds 90,000 miles - more than California, Hawaii and Florida combined. Equally renowned as the home of the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River, the name Minnesota is derived from the Dakota Sioux word for "cloudy water."
The natural beauty of Minnesota is vividly depicted on the reverse of this new quarter-dollar. Lined with Norway Pine, many of the lakes throughout the State offer much in the way of outdoor recreation, as well as providing a home for the graceful loon, Minnesota's state bird. Minnesota is also home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This one- million acre wilderness area was established by Congress in 1978, and contains more than 1,500 miles of canoe routes and nearly 2,200 designated campsites.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced the winning design at the 2004 Governor's Fishing Opener. By selecting the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" design, Governor Pawlenty chose the design recommended to him by the Minnesota State Quarter Commission. Other designs considered were "State with Symbols" including the State outline, snowflake, loon and plow, and "Mississippi River Headwaters" and "Fisherman/Lake Recreation." The Department of Treasury approved the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" design on June 15, 2004.
For more on the state commemorative quarters, visit this page.
This 50 State Quarter Map is a great way to collect and display all 50 State Quarters. |
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