X-Nico

100 unusual facts about Minnesota


1888 in the United States

January 12 – "Schoolhouse Blizzard": Blizzards hit Dakota Territory, the states of Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas, leaving 235 dead, many of whom are children on their way home from school.

A Little Trip to Heaven

Holt bluffs, claiming a hidden camera will help sort out who was truly on the bus; many leave, and his co-worker (Peter Coyote) quickly tells him their company wants him to investigate a crash in the remote and desolate town of North Hastings, Minnesota.

Amit Sood

Amit Sood is a Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, and serving as Chair of Mayo Mind Body Initiative.

Arnold William Loehr

He was born in Spring Hill, Minnesota, the son of John Loehr and Katherine Spander, both natives of Germany, and was educated in Spring Hill and in Melrose, Minnesota.

Balsfjord

Their voyage was also noteworthy as the first transatlantic voyage sailing directly from Europe to the port of Chicago (other previous transoceanic ships disembarked first at Quebec, Canada.) After arriving in Chicago, the mindekirken colonists traveled overland to the area of St. Peter, Minnesota, where they remained during the "Dakota War of 1862".

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Rev. Bomstad left St. Peter traveling by mule to Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, where near the east bank of a lake (previously called "Lake Lillian"), he became the founding father of Lake Lillian, Minnesota in May 1864 (one hour ahead of the town's next settler, Mr. O.E. Hart, previously of New York).

Battle of Wood Lake

The troops camped east of Lone Tree or Battle Lake, a small lake drained by a creek running northeast to the Minnesota River, about five miles north of what is now Echo, Minnesota.

Bernadotte, Minnesota

Bernadotte is an unincorporated community located in Bernadotte Township, Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States.

Bowstring, Minnesota

Lake Jessie Township and Leech Lake Indian Reservation are both in the vicinity.

Britt, Minnesota

The original center of Britt was generally considered at the intersection of Saint Louis County Road 68 and Jarvinen Road (County 662) in the southwest corner of Sandy Township.

Burnett, Minnesota

Burnett is an unincorporated community in Industrial Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.

CenturyLink Building

Minnesota construction materials were used in the building, with a granite exterior from Morton, Minnesota on the first floor and limestone from Kasota, Minnesota on subsequent stories.

Cherry Grove, Minnesota

Cherry Grove is located along the boundary line between York Township and Forestville Township.

Cherry Grove, Oregon

His cousin then suggested the name of her home of Cherry Grove, Minnesota.

Columbus Township

Columbus, Minnesota, formerly known as Columbus Township until incorporated as a city in September 2006

County roads in Hennepin County, Minnesota

County Road 117 (non-CSAH) is 109th Avenue North on the border between Corcoran and Hassan Township from County 116 to County 19.

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County Road 116 begins at Hamel Road (County 115) in Medina, then passes through Corcoran to Territorial Road in the unincorporated town of Fletcher, then follows Territorial Road to the Wright County line at the Crow River, where it becomes Wright County Road 22.

Crab Lake, Minnesota

Crab Lake is an unorganized territory in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States; located north of Eagles Nest Township, and west of Morse Township.

Day, Minnesota

Day is an unincorporated community in Maple Ridge Township, Isanti County, Minnesota, United States.

Diamond Jo Casino – Worth

Soon after opening its doors in 2006, Diamond Jo Casino – Worth purchased Arrowhead Golf Course located just outside of Emmons, Minnesota.

Dorothy, Minnesota

Dorothy initially was established as a railroad station in 1916-17 after the Northern Pacific Railway extended its line from Tilden Junction to Winnipeg and built a spur through Red Lake Falls.

Duquette, Minnesota

Duquette is located along the boundary line between Kerrick Township and Nickerson Township.

Earl Schmidt

Earl Schmidt was born November 27, 1929 to Phillip and Emma Schmidt on a dairy farm in Cologne, Minnesota.

Electric Power Research Institute

The team was led by electric service provider Great River Energy of Maple Grove, Minnesota, and also included fluid bed dryer engineer Heyl & Patterson Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, Lehigh University’s Energy Research Center and engineering construction contractor WorleyParsons.

Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota

There is one church located in Minnesota, St. John’s in Browns Valley, part of the Northeast Deanery, and two in Nebraska, Blessed Redeemer, in Howe Creek and Our Most Merciful Savior, in Santee.

Fred Ossanna

He helped found the Sunset Memorial Park and Funeral Chapel in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1922 by providing funding.

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In 1938, he had acted as counsel in a debacle known as the "Bemidji Affair" where bidding irregularities had appeared on a project for the Bemidji State Teachers College (Bemidji State University).

George Washington Morse

In 1858, Washington Morse along with D. B. Parsons and J.H. Abbott was commissioned by the government of Minnesota to establish a State road from Waterville to Owatonna.

Greenalite

Greenalite was first described in 1903 for an occurrence in the Mesabi Range near Biwabik, St. Louis County, Minnesota and named for its green color.

Hasan Adan Samatar

A spokesman for Eagle Media, which had put together the tribute dinner and gala party, indicated that the organization had sought to present Samatar the prize years earlier but was waiting for the artist to return to Minnesota.

Herbert Pierce

He was born in Tolon Creek, Dane County, Wisconsin, the son of William Smith Pierce, and was educated in Hutchinson, Minnesota and Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

Herman Beach

Named for its proximity to Herman, Minnesota, Herman Beach was formed 11,700 years ago and runs for hundreds of miles through Minnesota and North Dakota.

Independence, St. Louis County, Minnesota

Independence is an unincorporated community in New Independence Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.

Itasca Community Television, Inc.

Communities that support the Grand Rapids Area Cable Commission with franchise and PEG fees which, in turn, supports ICTV include Grand Rapids, Cohasset, La Prairie and the townships of Harris and Grand Rapids.

Ixchiguán

During the 20th century, many people from Ixchiguan have migrated to Worthington, Minnesota, a city that is considered a center of Mam speakers in the United States.

John Aloysius Green

In addition to the Champion quarries, Mr. Green opened a quarry on Buffalo Creek, worked the old state quarry on the Wapsipinicon River for a time, a quarry at Wasioja, Minnesota, and one at Shuster, Missouri.

John Berkey

Many of his original paintings are periodically on display at ArtOrg in Northfield, Minnesota.

John Gorka

As of 2005, he was residing in the St. Croix Valley area near Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Johnsburg, Minnesota

Johnsburg is an unincorporated community in Adams Township, Mower County, Minnesota, United States.

Kabekona, Minnesota

Kabekona is an unincorporated community in Hendrickson Township, Hubbard County, Minnesota, United States.

Keenan, Minnesota

Keenan is an unincorporated community in Clinton Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.

KEYC-DT2

KEYC-DT2's parent station has studios on Lookout Drive in North Mankato.

Lawrence Marston

His first wife was actress Lillian Lewis, born in Midway, Kentucky in 1852; died in Farmington, Minnesota on August 11, 1899.

Leo Mustonen

Mustonen joined the army during his senior high school year in Brainerd, Minnesota and was in training to become a navigator when he was reported missing.

Leśno, Chojnice County

During the Kashubian diaspora, many families from Leśno such as the Bambenek (Bambeneks) and the Stoltmann (Sztoltmans), Spierewka (Sprouffske), Bielawa emigrated to the area of Winona, Minnesota in the United States, beginning in the late 1850s.

Lois Jurgens

Her brother, Jerome Zerwas, was the police lieutenant of the town of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, where she lived at the time.

Malmo, Minnesota

Malmo is located in Malmo Township and Lakeside Township.

Marion Lake, Minnesota

Nearby places include North Star Township and Pequaywan Township.

Michael Valvo

Michael Valvo (April 19, 1942 in New York – September 18, 2004 in Chanhassen, Minnesota) was an International Master of chess.

Midway, Mahnomen County, Minnesota

Midway is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in La Garde Township, Mahnomen County, Minnesota, United States.

Minnesota Arabian Horse Association

The Minnesota Arabian Horse Association (MAHA) was founded in 1955 for anyone associated with the Arabian Horse in Minnesota.

Minnesota State Highway 104

State Highway 104 serves as a north–south and an east–west route between Sunburg and Glenwood in west-central Minnesota.

Minnesota State Highway 107

It is geographically located between the cities of Cambridge and Hinckley in east-central Minnesota and parallels Interstate 35 and State Highway 65 throughout its route.

Minnesota State Highway 114

Minnesota State Highway 114 is a highway in west-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highways 28 and 29 in Starbuck and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange with Interstate 94 near the city of Alexandria.

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Highway 114 serves as a north–south route in west-central Minnesota between Starbuck, Lowry, and La Grand Township near Alexandria.

Minnesota State Highway 123

The route passes through the city of Sandstone, Sandstone Township, and Finlayson Township.

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The route changes direction to north–south in Sandstone Township and continues as north–south to its northern terminus in Finlayson Township near Askov.

Minnesota State Highway 249

Highway 249 had passed through the communities of Caledonia, Mayville Township, and Crooked Creek Township.

Minnesota State Highway 27

State Highway 27 serves as an east–west route between Browns Valley, Wheaton, Alexandria, Long Prairie, Little Falls, Mille Lacs Lake, and Moose Lake.

Minnesota State Highway 275

Minnesota State Highway 275 is a highway in southwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with Lac qui Parle County Road 2 in Boyd and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highway 212 in Baxter Township, 6 miles east of Dawson.

Minnesota State Highway 32

State Highway 32 serves as a north–south route between Tansem Township, Twin Valley, Fertile, Red Lake Falls, Thief River Falls, and Greenbush in west-central and northwest Minnesota.

Minnesota State Highway 336

The roadway has always been a vital connection between Interstate 94 and U.S. 10, providing a gateway to nearby Detroit Lakes, a recreation destination area.

Minnesota State Highway 34

State Highway 34 serves as an east–west route between Barnesville, Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids, and Walker in west-central and north-central Minnesota.

Minnesota State Highway 36

Highway 36 crosses the St. Croix River via the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge between Stillwater and Houlton, WI.

Minnesota State Highway 40

Highway 40 serves as an east–west route between Madison and Willmar in west-central Minnesota.

Minnesota State Highway 43

A major project in the 1980s to rebuild Highway 43 from Interstate 90 to Winona as an expressway ran out of money.

Minnesota State Highway 47

Highway 47 was originally an extension of State Highway 56; which ran from southern Minnesota to Hampton; and then was concurrent with U.S. Highway 52 into downtown Saint Paul; then along University Avenue in both Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Minnesota State Highway 54

Highway 54, together with Highway 27, serve as an arterial route between Herman and the county seat at Elbow Lake.

Minnesota State Highway 79

State Highway 79 serves as an east–west route in west-central Minnesota between Elbow Lake and Evansville.

Minnesota State Highway 93

From 1933 to 1963, the route number "Minnesota 93" was used on a different state route between Redwood Falls and Sleepy Eye.

Minnesota State Highway 96

State Highway 96 serves as an east–west arterial route between the communities of White Bear Lake, Dellwood, Grant, Stillwater Township, and Stillwater.

Mission Creek, Minnesota

The center of Mission Creek is generally considered at the junction of Pine County 61 with Tie Road, and Railroad Lane; located in the northern portion of Mission Creek Township (population 635).

Morgan W. Walker, Sr.

At the age of eighteen, he had the leg amputated at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, but the problem persisted as "phantom pain", later believed to have been caused by a pinched nerve.

Oak Center, Minnesota

Oak Center is an unincorporated community in Gillford Township, Wabasha County.

Otto Timm

The next year he built a second for his own use, and started a cross-country tour that ended on May 25, 1915 when it crashed in a field in Magnolia, Minnesota.

Palo, Minnesota

Palo is an unincorporated community in White Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.

PaR Systems

PaR Systems, Inc, is a systems engineering firm headquartered in Shoreview, Minnesota, specializing in automated manufacturing and material handling.

Peary, Minnesota

Peary is located on the survey point boundary line for Clinton Township, Fayal Township, and McDavitt Township.

Penasse, Minnesota

Penasse is an unincorporated community in Angle Township, Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota, United States.

Pengilly, Minnesota

Pengilly is located along the boundary line between Greenway Township and Lone Pine Township.

Peter Cushman Jones

In 1857 he decided to leave, and planned to go west to Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Ponsford

Ponsford, Minnesota, the unincorporated community in Becker County, Minnesota, United States

Prosit, Minnesota

Prosit is an unincorporated community in Alborn Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.

Puntland State University

Puntland State University has entered into a sister institution relationship with the Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) based in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the United States.

Reads Landing, Minnesota

Reads Landing is an unincorporated community in section 24 of Pepin Township, Wabasha County, Minnesota, United States.

Ross Lee Finney

-- III? --> (December 23, 1906–February 4, 1997) was an American composer born in Wells, Minnesota who taught for many years at the University of Michigan.

Saginaw, Minnesota

Nearby is the junction of U.S. Highway 2 and State Highway 33 in the northeast corner of Brevator Township.

Schroeder, Minnesota

Schroeder is an unincorporated community in Schroeder Township, Cook County, Minnesota, United States.

Skeleton tank

The Skeleton Tank was an experimental prototype tank built in 1918 by the Pioneer Tractor Company, Winona, Minnesota.

Springvale, Minnesota

Springvale is an unincorporated community in Springvale Township, Isanti County, Minnesota, United States.

Swan River, Itasca County, Minnesota

Swan River is located along the boundary line between Sago Township and Wawina Township.

Tenney, Minnesota

In late June 2011, residents of Tenney voted 2 to 1 to dissolve the town and have it become part of Campbell Township.

The Lakes, Minnesota

The lake and the community are located in parts of four townships in Murray County: Lake Sarah, Shetek, Murray, and Mason Townships.

Union Hill, Minnesota

Union Hill is located within Derrynane Township in Le Sueur County; and also located within Belle Plaine Township in Scott County.

Wade Stadium

Wade Stadium is a baseball park located near the intersection of Grand Avenue and 34th Avenue West in the West Duluth neighborhood of Duluth, Minnesota.

Wawina, Minnesota

Wawina is an unincorporated community in Wawina Township, Itasca County, Minnesota, United States.

William A. Thompson

In 1896 he moved to La Crosse, and was appointed the Assistant Engineer in charge of the improvements on the Mississippi River from Winona, Minnesota to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

Wind chill warning

The following is an example of a particularly dangerous situation Wind Chill Warning issued by the National Weather Service office in the Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Wisconsin Public Television

WPT's public affairs programming is carried by MPTV flagship WMVS in Milwaukee, including Here and Now, while WDSE (channel 8) in the Superior-Duluth market and WRPT (channel 31) in Hibbing air the shows in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.

Yucatan, Minnesota

Yucatan is an unincorporated community in Yucatan Township, Houston County, Minnesota, United States.


A Time for Burning

Youngdahl was the son of a former governor of Minnesota and federal judge, Luther Youngdahl.

A. H. de Oliveira Marques

He left for the United States where he taught history at a number of universities (Auburn, Florida, Columbia, Minnesota and Chicago) between 1965 and 1970.

Adam Marty

As a member of the First Minnesota, Marty fought in early Civil War battles such as Bull Run, Ball's Bluff, and the Peninsula Campaign.

AMCC

Al-Madinah Cultural Center, a non-profit cultural student organization at the University of Minnesota

Arnold, Minnesota

Arnold is a census-designated place (CDP) in Rice Lake Township, Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States.

Badger Township, Polk County, Minnesota

The subsequent history of Badger Township is virtually indistinguishable from that of most of Northern Minnesota.

Carlson School of Management

Flip Saunders (’83 BSB) – Co-owner, President of Basketball Operations & General Manager, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association; Former Head Coach, Minnesota Timberwolves, National Basketball Association

Collin Peterson

In 1998, Peterson gained attention by proposing a constitutional amendment that would allow the residents of Minnesota's Northwest Angle to vote on whether they wanted to secede from the United States and join the Canadian province of Manitoba.

DBU

Duluth Business University a private university school located in Duluth, Minnesota

Duesler, Minnesota

Duesler is a small unincorporated community in Blackhoof Township, Carlton County, Minnesota, United States.

Elections in Minnesota

Recounts in Minnesota are handled by the State Canvassing Board, as needed in the 2008 Senate election between Norm Coleman and Al Franken.

Gerry Sikorski

He was a U.S. Representative representing Minnesota's 6th congressional district as a DFL member from January 3, 1983 to January 3, 1993 in the 98th, 99th, 100th, 101st, and 102nd Congresses.

Harry Joseph Flynn

In May 2005, Archbishop Flynn publicly criticized Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty in the Star Tribune for what he perceived as irresponsible tax policies.

Heffelfinger

William Walter "Pudge" Heffelfinger (1867, Minneapolis, Minnesota - 1954, Blessing, Texas), an American football player

Homer, Minnesota

Homer is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Homer Township, Winona County, Minnesota, United States.

Jane Elizabeth Hodgson

In 1981, Hodgson lent her name to a suit (Hodgson v. Minnesota) brought by Planned Parenthood against Minnesota, challenging that state's law requiring that both parents be notified at least 48 hours before a minor has an abortion.

Jesse Ceci

Mr. Ceci made many solo appearances including the Denver Chamber Orchestra, Royal Metropolitan Orchestra of Japan, Shizuoka Symphony Orchestra, Osaka Municipal Band, The Mozart Festival in Whistler, British Columbia, Bach Carmel festival in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, Colorado Music Festival, Minnesota Orchestra, Esterhazy Orchestra, New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra and with the Denver Symphony Orchestra as soloist in over thirty major works.

Kreutzer Air Coach

After becoming derelict, it was recovered using pack animals and is now maintained airworthy by the private Golden Wings Air Museum near Minneapolis Minnesota.

KTIS

KTIS-FM, a radio station (98.5 FM) licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

KTWN

KTWN-FM, a radio station (96.3 FM) licensed to serve Edina, Minnesota, United States

Lencho Skibba

He played in the youth system for Alemannia Aachen until 2007, when he moved to the United States and joined the Minnesota Thunder.

Leonidas Giroux

He had traveled to Rochester, Minnesota to be treated at the Mayo Clinic for an undisclosed illness and died shortly after his arrival.

Mary Olson

Mary A. Olson (born May 23, 1958) is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota Senate who represented District 4, which includes portions of Beltrami, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard and Itasca counties in the northern part of the state.

Max, Minnesota

Max is an unincorporated community in Max Township, Itasca County, Minnesota, United States; located within the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation.

Midway, Becker County, Minnesota

Midway is an unincorporated community in Runeberg Township, Becker County, Minnesota, United States.

Mike Erlandson

Erlandson ran for Sabo's 5th Congressional District seat in 2006, but finished second in a contested primary to Keith Ellison.

Minnesota State Capitol

Various portraits of state governors, and flags captured by Minnesota's regiments during the American Civil War, are on display.

Reed Construction Data

The suit was filed in Minnesota U.S. District Court, with BidClerk alleging that a series of “denial of services” attacks were directed against its online system, flooding it with “millions of page views.”

Rick Shiomi

As a stage director, Shiomi has directed at the Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco, InterAct Theatre in Philadelphia, The Bloomington Civic Theatre in Minnesota, St. Paul's SteppingStone Theatre for Youth, and has helmed numerous productions for Mu Performing Arts, including two by David Henry Hwang, the play Yellow Face and Hwang's revisal of Flower Drum Song by Rogers and Hammerstein.

Robert Gunther

:For the Minnesota politician, see Bob Gunther.

Silver Creek, Lake County, Minnesota

Silver Creek is an unincorporated community in Silver Creek Township, Lake County, Minnesota, United States.

Sørlie

Sorlie Memorial Bridge, connects the cities of Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota

Statewide opinion polling for the Republican Party presidential primaries, April 2012

Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Jeb Bush of Florida, Chris Christie of New Jersey, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and John Thune of South Dakota all succeeded in leading polls in their home states at some point in 2011, although only Pawlenty actually launched a campaign.

Tama Theis

Theis was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in a special election in 2013.

The Replacements Stink

The Replacements Stink is an EP by the band The Replacements, recorded at Blackberry Way, Minneapolis, Minnesota, on March 13, 1982, and released on June 24, 1982 (see 1982 in music).

Theodore H. Rowell

As Chairman of the International Bridge Committee, he successfully raised $1.6 million for construction of the International Bridge spanning the Rainy River, linking Baudette and Rainy River, Ontario.

Tofte, Minnesota

Tofte is an unincorporated community in Tofte Township, Cook County, Minnesota, United States.

Walbo, Minnesota

Walbo is an unincorporated community in Springvale Township, Isanti County, Minnesota, United States.

West Lakeland Township, Washington County, Minnesota

It is just north of Interstate 94 and touches the west bank of the St. Croix River.

WMFG

WMFG-FM, a radio station (106.3 FM) licensed to Hibbing, Minnesota, United States

WTCN

KARE, a television station (channel 11 analog/35 digital) licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, which held the call sign WTCN-TV from September 1953 to July 1985