In 1834, the American Fur Company established a commercial fishing operation on Lake Superior to supplement the company's profits. The financial panic of 1837 doomed the operation and the company declared bankruptcy in 1842. Commercial fishermen did not have a significant presence on Lake Superior again until the Duluth fishing boom in the 1870s.

The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was a fraternal organization which existed from 1866 to 1956. It was composed of veterans of the Union Army, United States Navy, Marines, and Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. The organization allowed veterans to communicate with one another and plan reunions. At its peak in 1890 it was a powerful organization, supporting the rights of veterans and primarily Republican politicians.

On September 23, 1862, United States troops, led by Colonel Henry Sibley, defeated Dakota warriors led by Ta Oyate Duta (His Red Nation, also known as Little Crow) Dakota at the Battle of Wood Lake. The battle marked the end of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.

The 1987 World Series put the Minnesota Twins on the national map for the first time since their 1970 Western Division title. The Twins met the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals in what was called both the "Riverboat Series" (after the fact that both cities were connected by the Mississippi River) and the "Cinderella Series" (both clubs were considered underdogs in their respective leagues). The Twins went on to win the series, four games to three.

First founded in 1903 as the Minnesota Valley Canning Company (MVCC), the Green Giant Company, as it later became known, became one of the largest producers of canned corn and peas in the United States. From its base in Le Sueur, the company developed new ways of growing, manufacturing, and marketing canned vegetables. Its mascot, the Jolly Green Giant, can be found in grocery stores around the United States.