Minneapolis is the largest city of Minnesota and the county seat of Hennepin County. It is however not the state’s capital; Saint Paul is. Together, Minnesota and Saint Paul form the core of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and are commonly referred to as the Twin Cities. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area is home to over 3 million residents.
Minneapolis developed around the prominent Saint Anthony Falls which is the only waterfall on the Mississippi River. In the late 1800s, Minneapolis turned into a remarkable centre for direct-drive waterpower. Lumber was purchased from the forests of northern Minnesota and no less than 17 saw mills where powered by the Saint Anthony Falls. Minneapolis was incorporated in 1867.
As Minneapolis grew, it became an important source of income not only for its inhabitants but also for many farmers of the Great Plains who could sell their grain to the new metropolis. Since the city was connected to the railroad system, the grains could be fairly easily transported to the flour mills of Minneapolis.
The name Minneapolis is attributed to the city’s first schoolmaster who created the name by combining mni, which means water in the Dakota language, with polis (Greek for city).
