St. Paul is in the eastern part of the state, on the Mississippi River just east of Minneapolis, which together forms the Twin Cities.  Zebulon Pike made an unofficial treaty at the present day site of St. Paul in 1805 with the Dakota (Sioux) for possession of the region.  The area of St. Paul was first settled in 1838, it was known as Pig's Eye until 1841, when a log chapel dedicated to St. Paul was built there!  It soon became of the capital of the Minnesota Territory in 1849, and the capital of the state of Minnesota in 1858.  It was important in the development of the upper Midwest because of tis location on the Mississippi, and its major railroad links.  The railroad links promoted the livestock market which was, and is, a bustling industry in the Midwest.  St. Paul is a major transportation, commercial, and industrial center with diversified manufactures, indcluding automobiles, electronic equipment, and food products.  Educational instituted inside of Saint Paul are Macalester and Concordia colleges (there are many other smaller ones).