Established at the meeting of the Minnesota and Blue Earth rivers, Mankato grew into a leading regional centre of southern Minnesota. The city’s name comes from a Dakota term for “blue earth,” referring to clay found along the river. Its riverfront position supported early trade and transport, while Minnesota State University, Mankato gives the city a major student community. Mankato also carries difficult national history: in 1862, 38 Dakota men were executed here following the U.S.–Dakota War, the largest mass execution in United States history. Minneopa State Park, west of town, contains Minneopa Falls and a bison herd. Continue with other webcams from southern Minnesota to see how the Minnesota River valley connects the region.
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