(CNN) -- The Republican National Convention is kicking off in full force Tuesday in the Twin Cities -- the first time the GOP has held a presidential convention there since 1892.



Laura Bush and Cindy McCain speak at a shortened first day of the Republican National Convention Monday.



The convention, delayed briefly when  Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast, is also being held later in the year than any nominating convention in history.



Check out these tidbits of convention history and political trivia.



Location



The Republican National Convention is being held in the Xcel Energy Center, the home of the National Hockey League team the Minnesota Wild.



To prepare the Xcel center for the GOP convention, workers removed 3,000 seats and installed more than 25 miles of cable



Sen. Barack Obama gave his first speech as the Democrats' presumptive 2008 presidential nominee at the Xcel Center on June 3.



The Twin Cities and Denver have each received $50 million each in federal funds for convention security.



No Republican since Richard Nixon has carried Minnesota in a presidential general election -- the longest Democratic streak of any state in the nation.



The Delegates



About 2,300 delegates and 2,200 alternates delegates are expected to journey to the twin cities for the event, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul economy is expected to benefit to the tune of $150 to $160 million.



The Candidates, past and present



John McCain turned 72 last week; if elected, he'll be the oldest president sworn in to a first term.



Two GOP presidential nominees were older than McCain; Ronald Reagan was 73 in 1984 when he was running for his second term and Bob Dole was 73 in 1996. Dole lost that election to Bill Clinton.



John McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam from 1967 to 1973; his service awards include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit and a Purple Heart.



McCain's father and grandfather were both U.S. Navy admirals; they were the first father and son to achieve that rank.



McCain represented Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1987; he has served in the U.S. Senate since 1987.



McCain was the presidential nominating speaker in 1996 for Sen. Robert Dole.



McCain clinched the Republican presidential nomination on March 4 after winning 26 primary season contests.



Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is the second woman to serve on a major party ticket -- in 1984 Democratic vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to serve on a major party ticket.



Palin is the first woman to serve as Alaska governor; she was elected in 2006, winning the election to the governorship as a maverick reformer willing to distance herself from the Republican Party.



McCain first met Palin at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington in February of 2008.



Conventions



National political conventions were covered on radio for the first time in 1924, and covered on television for the first time since 1948.



2008 marks the fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions; it also happened in 1912, 1916 and 1956.



The longest convention in history was the 1924 Democratic convention in New York -- It lasted 17 days. The shortest convention in history was the 1872 Democratic convention in Baltimore -- it only lasted six hours.
When was McCain the presidential nominating speaker? Who will be the oldest president if elected? How many times have the parties held back to back conventions? If McCain is elected he'll be the oldest what? 2008 marks the fourth time what has happened involving parties? What state did Nixon carry that many Republicans could not? Who was the last Republican to carry Minnesota? What does 2008 mark? Who was McCain a speaker for in 1996? Who would potentially be the oldest president to be in his first term?
in 1996 for Sen. Robert Dole. John McCain the fourth president sworn in to a first term. have held back-to-back conventions; Minnesota Richard Nixon fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions; Sen. Robert Dole. John McCain
question: When was McCain the presidential nominating speaker?, answer: in 1996 for Sen. Robert Dole. | question: Who will be the oldest president if elected?, answer: John McCain | question: How many times have the parties held back to back conventions?, answer: the fourth | question: If McCain is elected he'll be the oldest what?, answer: president sworn in to a first term. | question: 2008 marks the fourth time what has happened involving parties?, answer: have held back-to-back conventions; | question: What state did Nixon carry that many Republicans could not?, answer: Minnesota | question: Who was the last Republican to carry Minnesota?, answer: Richard Nixon | question: What does 2008 mark?, answer: fourth time the parties have held back-to-back conventions; | question: Who was McCain a speaker for in 1996?, answer: Sen. Robert Dole. | question: Who would potentially be the oldest president to be in his first term?, answer: John McCain