Minnesota
Located in the Midwestern, Minnesota is the twelfth largest state in the US. It was the 32nd state to be incorporated into the Union in 1858. Also known as the ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes’ this is a state that got its name from a word for ‘sky tinted water’. The state offers beautiful waters, forests, parks, wilderness and flora and fauna for the many tourists who visit every year.
State Nickname
The state of Minnesota has been nicknamed ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes’ and the number is not an exaggeration because the state actually has 11,842 lakes covering a collective area of more than 10 acres. It has the largest portion of Lake Superior. The state also has 6,564 natural streams and rivers.
Climate Summary
The state of Minnesota faces extreme climate and temperature; something that is characteristic of continental climate. Summers are fairly warm and winters are cold. The state has its share of rain, thunderstorms, snows, blizzards, hails, tornadoes and high velocity straight-line winds.
State Tax Situation
The tax structure for Minnesota is relatively progressive. There are three brackets of income tax that levy tax of 5.35%, 7.05% and 7.85%. The sales tax in the state is charged at 6.875% but this tax is levied only on specific items and excludes clothing, prescription medicine, food items and more.
Government Summary
The Minnesota government is modeled as per the Federal government and is run by a legislature, a judiciary and an executive council. The head of the executive branch is a governor and the legislature comprises of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
State Seal
The Minnesota seal was adopted in 1861 but the present design was legislated in 1983. The seal shows a barefoot farmer plowing his farm and an axe in the tree and a rifle and powder horn close by. There is also an Indian on horseback riding towards the south.
Motto & Description
The motto of Minnesota is ‘L'Etoile du nord’ and it means The Star of the North. It was adopted as the state motto in 1861 and it appears on the state seal too.
State Flag
The state flag of Minnesota has a royal blue background with a gold fringe and the state seal in the center with the wreath of the state flower. There are also three dates woven into the wreath – the year it became a state, the year fort Snelling was established and the year the flag was adopted.
State Bird
The state bird of Minnesota is the Common Loon or the Gavia immer. This is a diving bird with a long body. It looks extremely gracious as it glides low over the water.
State Flower
The official flower of the state is the white and pink lady’s slipper (cypripedium reginae). It is also called the show lady’s slipper. Adopted in 1902, this is a flower that is found in open fens, bogs and swamps.
State Animal
There does not be a specific official animal adopted by the state. However, official bird is the common loon, the official state fish is the walleye and the state insect is the monarch butterfly. All these creatures, together are considered as the state animals of Minnesota.
State Song and Description
The official state song of Minneapolis is “Hail! Minnesota”. This song is also used as the school song of the University of Minnesota. The song originated in the early 1900s when some students penned down this song for celebrating their graduation class.
State Colors
There is no official state color that has been adopted by Minnesota officially. The colors that appear on the flag – royal blue and golden can be considered as the state colors of Minneapolis.