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.

1. Itasca State Park was the first "state park" in the United States.

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.

2. Along those same lines, Minnesota's State Park system is the second oldest in the country.

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.

3. Sticking with our parks for one more bit of trivia, did you know that the Baptism River High Falls is the tallest waterfall entirely within the state of Minnesota?

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.

4. The Pigeon River High Falls, at 120 feet, is almost twice as tall, but we do have to share this waterfall with the province of Ontario in Canada.

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.

5. In 2024, the city of Saint Paul swore in its first city council comprised entirely of women.

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.

6. Minnesota not only borders Lake Superior - the largest lake (by area) in the world - it's also home to the largest lake in the United States that's not one of the Great Lakes.

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.

7. The largest Paul Bunyan statue in the world is located right here in Akeley, Minnesota.

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

8. More professional hockey players come from Minnesota than any other U.S. state.

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!