Saint Paul is the capital and second-largest city of the state of Minnesota in the United States. It is the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 287,151, although that number had decreased to 276,963 in the Census' 2004 estimates. Saint Paul and the adjacent city of Minneapolis form the core of the area known as the Twin Cities.
The city is located just south of 45 degrees north latitude. In the northern suburb of Roseville, on the east side of Cleveland Avenue, a block north of Roselawn Avenue and just a few feet north of where Loren Street T's into Cleveland, there is a stone containing a plaque, marking a point on 45th parallel..
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 145.5 km2 (56.2 mi2). 136.7 km2 (52.8 mi2) of it is land and 8.8 km2 (3.4 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 6.07% water.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 287,151 people, 112,109 households, and 60,987 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,101.0/km2 (5,441.7/mi2). There are 115,713 housing units at an average density of 846.6/km2 (2,192.8/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 67.02% White, 11.71% African American, 1.13% Native American, 12.36% Asian (mostly Hmong and Vietnamese), 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.84% from other races, and 3.87% from two or more races. 7.91% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Saint Paul has the world's second largest urban Hmong population.
There are 112,109 households out of which 29.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.1% are married couples living together, 13.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 45.6% are non-families. 35.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 3.32.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $38,774, and the median income for a family is $48,925. Males have a median income of $35,111 versus $29,432 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,216. 15.6% of the population and 11.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.2% of those under the age of 18 and 9.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Saint Paul began its life in the early 1800s when a collection of fur traders, explorers and missionaries came to the area for the protection that Fort Snelling offered. Many of these people had come south from Canada and were of French descent; others had come from the East after treaties with Native Americans officially opened the area.
In the early years the settlers lived close to the fort along the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, but as a whisky trade started to flourish the military officers in Fort Snelling banned them from the lands the fort controlled with one retired fur trader turned bootlegger, Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant, particularly irritating the officials. By the early 1820s the area had become important as a trading center and a destination for settlers heading west and was known as Pig's Eye Landing. In 1841 Father Galtier established the St. Paul Church and that same year the name of the settlement was formally changed to Saint Paul in honor of the newly constructed church and Father Galtier's favorite saint.
The next 10 years saw continued growth in the area and in response to that, Minnesota was named a territory in 1849 with St Paul named as its capitol. In 1850, the city narrowly survived a proposed law to move the capital to St. Peter when territorial legislator Joe Rolette disappeared with the approved bill. In 1854 St Paul incorporated as a city and in 1858 Minnesota was admitted to the union with St. Paul becoming the 32nd state capitol.
Historically, St. Paul has had a deep and intense rivalry with its neighbor, Minneapolis, the state's largest city, a rivalry that at times has turned violent. Today, the rivalry between the two cities has much friendlier overtones.
Source:
SaintPaulMinnesota.com
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