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St. Paul History continued...
Like Minneapolis, the area that is now St. Paul was once inhabited by Native American tribes, such as the Dakota (Sioux) Indians. These Native Americans, along with the Ojibwe tribe, flourished in the area for many years. It wasn't until the 1680's, that the first European explorers visited the area.
For many years, the Dakota and the Ojibwe tribes had participated in intertribal fighting. By 1800, many Dakota had settled along the lower Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, below the sacred site of the Falls of St. Anthony. In 1825, with the help of the United States government, the two tribes agreed to a demarcation line between their tribal areas. Then, in 1848, members of the Ho-Chunk Nation, who had been moved from their homes in Wisconsin, were temporarily resettled between the Ojibwe and the Dakota to act as a buffer. A large number of Ho-Chunk were unhappy with this situation and managed to quietly escape back to their homes in Wisconsin.
In 1851 the Dakota signed the treaty of Traverse des Sioux. With this treaty, the lands west of the Mississippi River were purchased from the Dakota and the area was opened for settlement the following year. This treaty meant that many Dakotas were to give up their hereditary lands. The tribe, for the most part, was moved to a strip of land ten miles wide along either side of the Minnesota River. Some worked to become farmers while others hunted. Ten years later, however, it appeared that most of the Dakota people might starve.
By 1862, the nation's attention was focused mainly on the Civil War. Because of this, the government had failed to pay the Dakota people in a timely fashion. The Dakota people were plagued by hunger and disgusted with the government and reservation life. This attitude caused many Dakota to move back onto their lands, which were being farmed or logged. In August of 1862, a sudden violent attack on settlers occurred in the southeastern part of the state. This set into motion a violent killing spree by the Dakota, the military and the settlers. The death of about 500 white settlers and the destruction of property led to the cry for the removal of the Dakota. Initially, 300 Dakota warriors were held at either Mankato (those who had been condemned) or Fort Snelling. President Lincoln pardoned all of the warriors who had not been condemned for the killing of settlers. The remaining Dakota in Minnesota were relocated to a reservation at Crow Creek. The Ho-Chunk people, who were not involved in the fighting, were also removed from Minnesota.
The area that would become St. Paul was under European control from the 1680's until finally becoming part of the United States in 1784. This area was later purchased from the French in 1803 and named the Louisiana Purchase. In order to demonstrate the western reach of the United States, the government established Fort Snelling. The land that the fort encompassed included all of modern-day Minneapolis and nearly half of modern-day St. Paul. The first commanding officer at Fort Snelling was Henry Leavenworth.
In 1837, a French-Canadian bootlegger named Pierre “Pig's Eye” Parrant built a saloon along the Mississippi River. In 1838, the town that would eventually become St. Paul was named Pig's Eye, after the saloon. A French priest named Lucian Galtier saw opportunity in the lost souls of Pig's Eye. He moved to the town and decided to erect a chapel there in 1841. He named his church St. Paul. Shortly after, the citizens decided to change the name of the town to St. Paul, in honor of the chapel.
With the Native Americans out of the area, white settlers began to move in. In the early 1800's, a fur-trading post was established at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. This trading post was located about six miles from present-day St. Paul, at the now historic village of Mendota. During the 1800's, the settlers began to understand the potential power of the nearby Falls of St. Anthony. The area quickly became an important manufacturing center for flour. However, by the early 1900's, the falls played a less important part in the area's economy.
Today, the city of St. Paul remains the laid back older brother to its twin city, Minneapolis. This is due in part to the fact that St. Paul tends to demolish its older buildings. This gives St. Paul a more traditional look while Minneapolis tends to be more modern. The two cities enjoy a friendly rivalry that still exists today. The rivalry remains although citizens of both cities tend not to take it too seriously. After all, in 1997, the twin cities were voted the sixth best place in the United States.
Although most of the flour mills are gone from the area, St. Paul still has many important industries. Food processing remains a key in industry, along with agricultural commodity and food product export sales. Other important industries in the twin cities area are electronics, medical and computer manufacturing and retail and professional services.
St. Paul is the home to many fine cultural attractions and tourist destinations. Among the attractions found in the city are the Science Museum of Minnesota, the State Capitol building and the city's Civic Center. The city is also home to the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. The Minnesota Wild, of the NHL, play their home games in the capital city.
Outdoor recreation is also a popular activity in St. Paul. After all, 949 of the state of Minnesota's 12,000 lakes are located near the twin city area. The Mall of America, a large indoor shopping mall, entertainment center and amusement park, is located nearby.
If there is one drawback to the city of St. Paul, it is the weather. St. Paul is known for its cold and windy winters. However, despite the cold, St. Paul truly is a city that has it all.
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