Statehood day for Minnesota, May 11, 1858. Genealogists, what was it before?

I have lived in Minnesota for all of my life except for one year. In the state, I have lived in four different cities and have lost track of how many abodes! Minnesota (or parts of what it is today) resided in many places, too. The home of the Native Americans who first populated the land has been under France, England, Spain, Northwest Territory, Michigan Territory, Illinois Territory, Wisconsin Territory, . . . but the land never moved. It was part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. In 1849 when Wisconsin became a state, the land now known as Minnesota became Minnesota Territory. The territory also included part of what is now South Dakota and North Dakota. Then came May 11, 1858 and statehood was granted by Congress.

If you only discovered the statehood date and learned history forward from that date, you would miss a considerable amount of history and some records that are found elsewhere. 87 counties today. Each has a story just like each current and past inhabitant.

Now I am going to make a note to find and remember the names of counties that no longer exist.

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