Saint Paul is Minnesota’s capital and lies on the Mississippi River, opposite Minneapolis in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
The city developed around settlements near the Mississippi River and was originally known as Pig’s Eye, after Pierre Parrant, an early trader. It was renamed Saint Paul in 1841, when Catholic missionary Lucien Galtier established a chapel dedicated to Saint Paul. The name soon became standard for the growing community.
Saint Paul became Minnesota’s capital when Minnesota entered the Union as the 32nd state in 1858. Minneapolis, across the river, grew into the state’s larger population and business center, but Saint Paul retained the government. Together they form the Twin Cities.
The two cities are often treated as interchangeable, but they are separate municipalities. Saint Paul is Minnesota’s political capital, while Minneapolis is generally the larger city and is especially associated with commerce, culture, and the University of Minnesota’s main campus.