Happy Birthday, Minnesota!

Today is the anniversary of Minnesota being admitted to our United States of America.

Date of Admittance:

May 11, 1858 

Parentage: The word "minnesota" is a Native American word meaning "sky-tinted waters."  The territory was purchased from the French and stolen from the Native Americans.

Place in the Family

Number 32
A hefty "Mid-Western Sandwich"

between two West-Coasters:
California (Sept 1850)

and Oregon (Feb 1859)

Motto

"Star of the North"
because North Dakota doesn't shine quite so brightly

Nick-Name

The Gopher State
Something to be proud of, I guess? 
U of M mascot is The Golden Gopher, so...?

On the License Plate

Land of 10,000 Lakes
I always liked this

State Flag

A blue banner with the state seal in the center,
surrounded by 19 stars
(19th state to join after the original 13, making 32)
One of the ugliest state flags for one of the most
beautiful states, unfortunately

First City You Probably Think of

When You Think "Minnesota"

Minneapolis 

Actual State Capital: St. Paul

State Size (Area) is 12th of 50.

Population is closer to 21st of 50.

(per 2000 Census figures)

Personal Russell Fact:
I consider Minneapolis-St.Paul one of my numerous home-towns.
I spent 3 great years there attending Macalester College.
(I spent one year studying abroad in Japan.)
I often think that I would have stayed in the Twin Cities if I hadn't
gotten a job in Miyazaki right after graduation....

Where I Lived in Minnesota:
My base of operations was here, in/around 1600 Grand Ave in St. Paul

Minnesota Sports:

NFL (Minnesota Vikings)



MLB
 

NBA


NHL

Anybody From Minnesota
Ever Grow Up To Be President?

Nope.

However, I'm sure we would have been better off
if Vice President Hubert Humphrey HAD won in 1968....


...and maybe if Vice-President Walter Mondale had won in 1984!  

Musical Minnesotans:

The Andrew Sisters

"Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy"

Bob Dylan

"Like A Rolling Stone"

Prince

"When Doves Cry" 

TV Celebrities From Minnesota

Mike Farrell
actor, "MASH"

Loni Anderson

actress, "WKRP"

Peter Graves

actor, "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE"

James Arness

actor, "GUNSMOKE"

Sporty Minnesotans

Dave Winfield

baseball Hall of Fame player

Zach Parise

hockey player, New Jersey Devils



Film Stars From Minnesota

Jessica Lange

Academy Award Winning Actress

Judy Garland

Beloved Singer & Actress

Minnesota Literary Figures

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby

DeWitt Wallace
founder of Reader's Digest

Comic Professionals From Minnesota

Wally Wood 

JUSTICE SOCIETY, DAREDEVIL, etc etc

CLICK to enlarge

Curt Swan
Silver Age SUPERMAN artist

Click to enlarge

Dan Jurgens
Modern Age SUPERMAN, creator of BOOSTER GOLD

Fictional Minnesotans

Rocky & Bullwinkle 

from Frostbite Falls, MN

Jolly Green Giant

from Blue Earth, MN

"Four Hockey Players
from Minnesota"

Mary Richards

"Spunky"

Most Famous Minnesotan

Charles Schulz

Who doesn't know Snoopy and Charlie Brown? 

A Song For You....

"Mr. Tambourine Man"

Written & Sung by Bob Dylan
(introduced here by folk singer Pete Seeger
at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964,
who mentions Bob's home-town of Duluth, MN)