8 Unique Trivia Facts About Minnesota You Might Not Have Heard Before

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is superlative in many ways – from the northernmost point in the continental United States to the invention of Post It Notes and Pizza Rolls – but, humble as we Minnesotans are, we don’t always like to brag about it. Even so, it’s always good to have a little Minnesota trivia on hand in case you find yourself sitting in a Wisconsin tavern and somebody starts going on about cheese or the Packers. Here are a few facts you can retort with.

Itasca State Park, 36750 Main Pk Dr, Park Rapids, MN 56470, USA

Larry Hutchinson/Google Reviews

There are a few parks that are older and some that were national parks - or something else - that became state park. But, Itasca - the oldest state park in the Land of 10,000 Lakes - was the first to be called a "state park" upon its designation in 1891. So, in a way, it's the oldest continuous state park in the country.

Gooseberry Falls State Park, 3206 MN-61, Two Harbors, MN 55616, USA

Matthew Greenman

And among the units in the system, Gooseberry Falls State Park receives the most annual visitors. Yup - around three-quarters of a million people visit the park each year.

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Tettegouche State Park, 5702 MN-61, Silver Bay, MN 55614, USA

Alexandre Hudson (Alex)/Google Reviews

That's right, this 63-foot cascade is as tall as it gets if you want to stay entirely within the state. It's located at Tettegouche State Park.

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Grand Portage State Park, 9393 E MN-61, Grand Portage, MN 55605, USA

Jim Brekke/Flickr

The Pigeon River marks the border between Minnesota and Ontario. You can visit the Pigeon River high falls on the Minnesota side from Grand Portage State Park.

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City of St. Paul/Facebook

This was definitely a first for any major city in Minnesota and was likely the first time for any major city in the United States. Most are women of color, and all are under 40.

Lake of the Woods County, MN, USA

Trent Jonas/OnlyInYourState

Lake of the Woods is the sixth largest lake in the United States - after the five great lakes - and the 34th largest lake in the world. Most of the Northwest Angle of Minnesota, where the northernmost point in the U.S. is located, is comprised of Lake of the Woods, which also extends into Ontario, Canada. Red Lake and Rainy Lake are also among the 20 largest lakes in the U.S.

Paul Bunyan Statue, Heartland State Trail, Akeley, MN 56433, USA

LB’s and Lulu/Google Reviews

He's not the tallest because he's kneeling - but he would be if he stood up. And he's by far the heaviest.

Sarah/Flickr

And it's not even close. Minnesota has launched almost twice as many NHL players as the runner-up state, New York. We are, indeed, the "State of Hockey."

The Land of 10,000 Lakes continues to prove itself pretty unique among the states, as these pieces of Minnesota trivia suggest. One way to show a little pride in our state is sporting some gear that proudly displays your Minnesota roots – and if you use the coupon code Minnesota10, you’ll get a discount on your order!

How many of these bits of trivia did you already know? Tell us in the comments!