Saint Paul is the U.S. state capital named for the biblical figure Saint Paul.
The city began as a settlement near Fort Snelling and was known in the early nineteenth century as Pig’s Eye, after Pierre “Pig’s Eye” Parrant. In 1841, Catholic missionary Lucien Galtier established a chapel dedicated to Saint Paul, and the settlement adopted that name. Minnesota became a U.S. territory in 1849, and Saint Paul became its territorial capital.
Saint Paul shares the Twin Cities region with Minneapolis, but the two cities have different roles and histories. Saint Paul is Minnesota’s political capital, while Minneapolis is the larger commercial city. The Minnesota State Capitol stands in Saint Paul near the Capitol Mall, and the Mississippi River forms an important part of the city’s geography. The name should not be confused with Saint Paul, the apostle, or with Saint Paul Island in Alaska.