Minneapolis is Minnesota's largest city! It is on the Mississippi River near the mouth of the Minnesota River.  St. Paul is across the river from Minneapolis, which forms the Twin Cities metropolitan area.  Minneapolis's land was first visited by French missionary Louis Hennepin in 1680.  He decided the area should be developed into a military outpost.  On the eastern bank of the land was the village of St. Anthony (incorporated in 1855), and on the western bank was Minneapolis Village (incorporated in 1856).  In 1872 these two cities merged to create Minneapolis.

 

         Minneapolis soon developed into a center of lumber and wheat processing and industries.  A grain market still surrounds the agricultural region, with Minneapolis has a key city to the industry.  Minneapolis is also a manufacturing center.  The main educational institute in Minneapolis is the University of Minnesota.