Why is ‘National Minnesota Day’ Celebrated on March 1st?

March 1st is officially "National Minnesota Day" according to NationalDayCalendar.com, but why that day of all days?

Minnesota became a state on May 11, 1858, so in my mind, it would make more sense to celebrate then, but this website known for highlighting the wackiest of national days has its reasoning.

In 2017, National Day Calendar began celebrating each state in the order they entered the union starting the week of Independence Day and ending with Hawaii. We highlight a small part of each states’ history, foods and the people who make up the state. Many states have their own state celebrations, and National Day Calendar’s observances in no way replace them.

So as the 32nd state, we get celebrated on the 32nd week from the 4th of July. That's why March 1st is National Minnesota Day.

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In honor of National Minnesota Day, here are some fun facts about our great state:

• There are actually 11,842 lakes in our state that measure 10 acres or more. Imagine what our nickname would be if we counted the ones smaller than that.
• We own more recreational boats than any other state. There is one for every six people in Minnesota. As my dad used to say, "you don't need a boat, you need a friend with a boat."
• 78 football fields can fit into the Mall of America. It is still the largest mall in the United States at 9.5 million square feet.
• RIP the Metrodome, before it was torn down, it was the only stadium in the country to host a World Series (1987, 1991), a Super Bowl (1992), and an NCAA Final Four Basketball Championship (2001).
• According to Explore Minnesota, Minnesota's rivers and streams flow in three directions: north to Hudson Bay in Canada, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico.
• The first permanent settlers in Minnesota landed in Hennepin County, which was named for Father Hennepin, a Franciscan missionary born in 1640.
• Our state slogan is "L'Etoile du Nord," which means "Star of the North" in French, an homage to the French fur traders and trappers that called the area home in the 1600's.
• Minnesota is home to more common loons than any other state in the continental United States. Alaska does have us beat on this one, but I gotta say our loons have great taste.

Happy National Minnesota Day! Celebrate responsibly.