# Minnesota Territory *Organized incorporated territory of the United States, 1849–1858* Minnesota Territory was created by an Act of Congress that President James K. Polk signed on March 3, 1849, "during his last hours in office."[^1] It lasted until May 11, 1858. On that date its eastern part entered the Union as the state of [[Minnesota]], and its western part reverted to unorganized status before being folded into Dakota Territory.[^2] At its widest it took in all of present-day Minnesota and most of what are now North and South Dakota east of the Missouri and White Earth Rivers. The [[Minnesota Historical Society]]'s marker describes it as reaching from the St. Croix to the Missouri.[^1][^2] The territory's own historical accounts date its origin to the [[Stillwater Convention]]. Stillwater citizens "concerned with their lack of legal organization" met on August 6, 1848, and their convention sat on August 26, 1848.[^3] The project's at-issue record states that [[Joseph Renshaw Brown]] organized and chaired the convention and that it sent Henry Sibley to Washington.[^1] The Washington County Historical Society's timeline states: "Responding to the Stillwater Convention, the United States Congress organizes Minnesota Territory" on March 3, 1849.[^3] The territory was divided into nine original counties.[^1] Dakota County was created in 1849 as one of the nine and was named for the [[Dakota]] people.[^4] The project's at-issue record states that the county was drawn before the land was ceded, and that the 1851 treaty "ratified a jurisdiction that already existed on paper."[^4] ## Who The project's at-issue record names [[Joseph Renshaw Brown]] as organizer and chair of the Stillwater Convention of August 26, 1848.[^1] [[Henry Hastings Sibley]] was "seated in Washington as a delegate" on January 15, 1849, before Congress organized the territory.[^3] Sibley represented the territory in the 31st and 32nd Congresses (1849–1853). Henry Mower Rice followed in the 33rd and 34th (1853–1857), and William W. Kingsbury served in the 35th (1857–1858).[^2] Polk signed the organizing act on March 3, 1849.[^1] [[Alexander Ramsey]] was the territory's first [[governor]]. He asked Congress to fund five military roads in the territory.[^2] Territorial secretaries:[^2] - [[Charles K. Smith]], 1849–1851 - [[Alexander Wilkin]], 1851–1853 - [[Joseph Rosser]], 1853–1857 - [[Charles L. Chase]], 1857–1858 Territorial attorneys general:[^2] - [[Lorenzo A. Babcock]], 1849–1853 - [[LaFayette Emmett]], 1853–1858 ## What The territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States, split at formation into nine original counties.[^1][^2] Each of its three main settlements received a territorial institution: - Saint Paul became the capital. - [[Minneapolis]] was chosen as the site of the [[University of Minnesota]]. - [[Stillwater]] received the Territorial Prison.[^2] Washington County was established on October 27, 1849, as one of the nine original counties, and was later renamed.[^3] Stillwater "became known as the 'Birthplace of Minnesota'" in the Washington County Historical Society's account.[^3] The territory also chartered commercial enterprises. According to the [[National Park Service]], the [[St. Croix Boom]] company was chartered in 1851 by Wisconsin and Minnesota Territory.[^5] In 1856 Isaac Staples, Martin Mower and other investors reorganized the company and moved it above Stillwater. It then operated from 1856 to 1914.[^5] ## When The documented sequence runs as follows: - **August 6, 1848:** Stillwater citizens meet and call a convention.[^3] - **August 26, 1848:** The convention convenes.[^3] - **January 15, 1849:** Sibley is seated as a delegate.[^3] - **March 3, 1849:** Polk signs the organizing act.[^1] - **1849:** Dakota County is created.[^4] - **October 27, 1849:** Washington County is established.[^3] - **1851:** The St. Croix Boom company is chartered.[^5] - **1851:** A treaty ratifies the cession that the at-issue record places after Dakota County's organization.[^4] - **1855:** Wright County is established.[^6] - **May 11, 1858:** Statehood.[^2] Federal Indian administration within the territory is also dated: - **1848:** A reservation for the Winnebago people was created at Long Prairie. - **1852:** The Chippewa Agency at Crow Wing was founded. - **1853:** The Upper and Lower Sioux Agencies were established.[^2] Wright County takes its name from [[Silas Wright]] (1795–1847), according to Warren Upham's *Minnesota Geographic Names* (1920).[^6] Wright was U.S. Senator from New York from 1833 to 1844 and Governor of New York from 1844 to 1846.[^7] ## Where No roads connected the territory to neighboring Wisconsin or Iowa. Travelers came in by water, chiefly on the [[Mississippi River]], and riverboats carried most traffic.[^2] Settlement centered on three sites: - St. Paul - St. Anthony/Minneapolis - Stillwater There were also two military posts, [[Fort Snelling]] and Fort Ripley. The settlements, the posts, and the later Indian agencies all lay beside waterways.[^2] The military reservations were federal land. The Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory remains in existence, and Fort Ripley now forms part of the Minnesota National Guard's Camp Ripley.[^2] Fort Snelling housed the territory's first school and first post office.[^2] [[Mendota]] had the first justice of the peace and the first church, St. Peter's Catholic Church, built in 1840.[^2] Dakota County's own history identifies Mendota as "the first European settlement in Minnesota."[^4] The at-issue record states that Dakota County's 1849 boundary ran west "several hundred miles to the Missouri River."[^4] ## How many The territory had an estimated 5,000 settlers when it was formed.[^2] The project's at-issue record describes the Stillwater from which the convention petitioned as a lumber camp of about six hundred people.[^1] The territory had nine original counties.[^1][^3][^4] Ramsey requested funding for five military roads.[^2] ## In the at-issue record The record carries two entries on the territory. **Dakota County.** The first entry concerns the order in which jurisdiction and title arrived. Dakota County, it states, was organized in 1849 as one of nine original counties, nine years before statehood. Its boundary ran to the Missouri River before the land was ceded, and the 1851 treaty then ratified that jurisdiction.[^4] The county's own history page confirms the 1849 creation and the nine-county count.[^4] The record does not establish the legal basis for the county's jurisdiction before the 1851 cession. **The Stillwater Convention.** The second entry sets the territory's founding beside the State's own account of it. The 2001 Minnesota Historical Society marker at the Washington County Historic Courthouse is a state-erected account. It records the 1849 Act, Polk's signature in his last hours in office, and the nine original counties.[^1] The entry adds that the territory was petitioned from a lumber camp of about six hundred people, at a convention chaired by Brown.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### What - An organized incorporated territory of the United States from March 3, 1849, to May 11, 1858.[^1][^2] - Nine original counties, including Dakota (1849) and Washington (October 27, 1849).[^3][^4] ### Where - Present-day Minnesota and most of North and South Dakota east of the Missouri and White Earth Rivers.[^2] - Capital at Saint Paul, Territorial Prison at Stillwater, and university site at Minneapolis.[^2] ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota Historical Society, *Interpretive marker, Washington County Historic Courthouse* (erected 2001) — Act of Congress signed by Polk March 3, 1849, "during his last hours in office"; nine original counties; territory from the St. Croix to the Missouri; anchor of the at-issue entry on the Stillwater Convention. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=43908 [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Minnesota Territory* (revision 1369440834, retrieved 2026-10-27) — dates, extent, settlers, transport, settlements, agencies, institutions, officers and delegates. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Territory [^3]: Washington County Historical Society, *Timeline* (undated web page) — August 6 and 26, 1848 meetings; Sibley seated January 15, 1849; Congress organizes the territory March 3, 1849; Washington County established October 27, 1849. https://www.wchsmn.org/timeline/ [^4]: Dakota County, *History* (undated web page) — county created 1849 as one of nine original counties of Minnesota Territory; named for the Dakota people; Mendota as "the first European settlement in Minnesota." https://dakotacountymn.gov/government/about/history [^5]: National Park Service, *The St. Croix Boom* (undated web page) — company chartered 1851 by Wisconsin and Minnesota Territory; reorganized 1856; operated 1856–1914. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/stcroixboom.htm [^6]: Library of Congress, *Catalog record* (undated) — record cited for Wright County's 1855 establishment and its naming per Upham, *Minnesota Geographic Names* (1920). https://www.loc.gov/item/13018764/ [^7]: U.S. House of Representatives, *Biographical record: Wright, Silas, Jr.* (undated) — Senator from New York 1833–1844; Governor of New York 1844–1846. https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/W/WRIGHT,-Silas,-Jr--(W000770