All About Minnesota

Minnesota Dept of Natural Resources
Guides to Minnesota wildlife, plants, minerals, and waterways.

Gammelgården Museum of Scandia
According to the 2020 census, Minnesota had the most Swedes, both by number (410,091) and by the percent of the state's population they make up (7.3%). This makes sense because Minneapolis, Minnesota has the largest concentration of Swedes outside Sweden. This page includes information about Swedish Culture, Swedish Crafts, Swedish Food, Life of the Early Settlers, the Dakota - Minnesota's First People, and Wildlife in Minnesota in 1850-1880.

Washington County Historical Society
Articles and indexes of community histories, schools of the past, and a Washington County timeline. Many articles include historical photos.

Minnesota Wildflowers: A Project for Environmental Justice
Here you'll find images and information about wildflowers that grow in Minnesota, both native and non-native. Over 1,800 plant species and more than 18,000 high quality photos are cataloged here, working towards recording all 2100+ plant species in Minnesota. This site is modeled after a field guide to help identify plants found in the wild. Flowers are primarily categorized by color, but there is an advanced plant search (see also in the top right corner of every page) where you can key on a variety of plant characteristics. Search results are organized by plant family and genus so similar species are usually grouped together.

Grand Portage National Monument
The Grand Portage trail itself was a focal point in developing the international boundary between Canada and the United States, and today remains an international road. Under the terms of the Webster- Ashburton Treaty of 1842, use of the trail remains free and open to citizens of both the United States and Canada. Without the Grand Portage, Canadian and American political history and national boundaries might have been quite different.

The Hjemkomst Viking Ship
Read the incredible story of Robert Asp, one of many descendants of Norwegian immigrants in Minnesota, and his dream of building a sailable Viking ship based on historical records. Construction began in 1972 and the ship made the voyage from Duluth, MN, to Oslo, Norway in 1982.

Pipestone National Monument
For over 3,000 years, Indigenous people have quarried the red stone at this site to make pipes used in prayer and ceremony - a tradition that continues to this day and makes this site sacred to many people.

MNCollections
MNCollections is a digital database of the collections of over 40 history museums and historical societies in Minnesota.

Scott County Historical Society
Read an article summarizing the history of Scott County, then dive deeper with oral histories, and "then and now" photos and descriptions of the area.

W.W. Mayo House
In an odd twist of fate, two of Minnesota's most influential families both lived in the same home in Le Sueur (not at the same time). Learn more in this brief article about the house and the founder of the Mayo Clinic. Ten years after Dr. Mayo moved to Rochester, MN, the Cosgrove family moved into the house. Carson Cosgrove did not found Green Giant Company, which we all know as home of the Jolly Green Giant and his sidekick Little Sprout, but he did make it successful, and three Cosgroves became presidents of the company. Links are provided to learn more about the history of the Mayo Clinic and the Green Giant Company.

Walnut Grove: Childhood Home of Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Ingalls family moved to Minnesota in 1874, and “On the Banks of Plum Creek” is based on their time there. The site has coloring and activity printables, along with ideas for more activities for bringing more context to the story for your students.

The 50 States - Minnesota
From TeachersFirst. A comprehensive resource on Minnesota

Mr. Donn.org - Minnesota
Collection of Nebraska resources from Mr. Donn, who offers one of the largest collections of social studies resources available.

Minnesota Primary Sources (Library of Congress)
Selected Library of Congress primary sources with a Teacher's Guide

50 States.com - Minnesota
Facts & Trivia about Minnesota

RoadsideAmerica.com - Minnesota
Unique tourist attractions and landmarks in Minnesota

Awesome America - Minnesota
Loads of fun facts, photos, and travel information about Minnesota.