University of Minnesota - Gopher Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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The Nicollet hotel and Washington Avenue in the late I88O's The small population and the small size of the territory proved to be the points against making Minnesota a ter- ritory. But Stephen A. Douglas helped Sibley convince the Easterners that Minnesota was large enough and, by ex- aggerating a little, presented facts to show that the territory boasted a popula- tion as large as most entering territories. The bill making Minnesota a territory was passed just a few hours before the Whigs took over for the Democrats in Washington. Unlike most organic acts Minneso- ta's described boundaries. It designated the new Territory of Minnesota as in- cluding all of the present states of North and South Dakota and as far West as the Missouri and White Earth Rivers. President Zachary Taylor appointed Whigs to almost all of the executive po- sitions in the new government. Alex- ander Ramsey, a Pennsylvanian, was appointed Governor. In later years this devoted Minnesotan went on to become Mayor of St. Paul, Governor of Minne- sota, United States Senator and Secre- tary of War. Following the admission of Minne- sota as a territory, more immigrants came into Minnesota in the next nine years than came to the East coast shores during the first century after coloniza- tion. The first paper in Minnesota, The Minnesota Pioneer, was started by James Goodhue in 1849. While across the river, Minneapolis received its first newspaper from Elmer Tyler. It was called the St. Anthony Express. The first dwelling on the west side of the river was built by John H. Stevens.

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15 years previous was the source, but Schoolcraft proved to him that Itasca was the actual origin. About 1840 the sound of the steam- boat's whistle meant the start of spring ' N . .431 EA The first passenger and freight station in Minneapolis just as the first robin is the telling sign today. It was also about this time that the fabulous period of the fur trader and the explorer was coming to a halt. The Indians were starting to sign treaties. The future capital of Minnesota re- ceived its beginning when all squatters were forced out of Wisconsin. So they moved across the river. Pig's Eye Par- rant was the hrst settler to camp on the spot that is now St. Paul. He built his home at the place where the Union sta- tion is located today. This was the shaky start of St. Paul. Thomas Williamson established the first church in 1841. It was dedicated to St. Paul. So the steamboat men started calling that area St. Paul's Landing. It was shortened to St. Paul's and then to St. Paul. Now Pig's Eye had become a Christian community. Years later St. Paul was chosen as the city to have the state capitol. But then in 1857 a bill came to the floor to move the capitol to St. Peter. A man from Pem- bina by the name of Ioe Rolette took care of that though. He stole the bill and hid until the legislature broke session. Also, the capitol of the state of Minnesota was almost placed on Nicollet Island. It missed by the margin of one vote. Harriet E. Bishop, coming to Minne- sota from Vermont, started the first school. The first school in St. Anthony Falls was established by Electa Backus. But the real boost to education was ad- ministered by Martin McCloud who as- sured the passage of a bill which made education for those between the ages of four and twenty-one free. At the Stillwater Convention in 1848 the people of this area decided to send A bunk house scene in an early lumber camp Henry H. Sibley as a representative of the Territory of Wisconsin. On arriving Sibley was seated after an extended de- bate within the Senate.

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Thus Minneapolis received its start. At the time this was named the community of St. Anthony Falls. But it wasn't until 1872 that an act of legislation united Minneapolis and St. Anthony Falls. A type of frame house used by early settlers St. Paul and Minneapolis have always been arch rivals. Even back in the pioneer days they were as much or more than they are today. The fight for the right to have the capitol was the first epi- sode. It was followed by many incidents, one of them being an early census. Both cities accused the other of using unfair tactics in taking its census. After court action it was ruled that both cities had been counting about 20,000 more people than actually existed in the territory. The University of Minnesota was opened on Nov. 26, 1851, even though collegiate work wasn't started for 18 years. Dr. W. W. Folwell served as the first of 27 presidents who have held ofhce to date. His term was from 1869-84. In the midst of the panic of 1857, Sib- ley was elected the first Governor of the state in a close race against Ramsey. Sibley won the election over the very capable Ramsey by the slim margin of 240 votes. James Shields and Henry Rice were the first senators to represent the state. When railroad facilities were extended to Minnesota in 1862, a great link for the whole northwest was accomplished. The hrst train was the William Crooks. The last Indian uprising came about in 1862 when the Sioux hit a new high for Indian brutality. Four Indians, by murdering live white people one after- noon, started the massacre which soon spread over the entire state. The under- lying cause of the whole affair was the fact that the whites were continually af- ter the Indian territory while the red men had made up their minds that they just weren't going to move out. The quieting of the horrible Indian menace ended the early pages of Min- Atypical parlor of a Minnesota home in the l880's nesota's history. Then the state turned from the days of forts, fur trading and lumber mills to the present period of iron ore mines, farms and wheat mills.