Minnesota Saint Paul, in east-central Minnesota along the banks of the Mississippi River, has been Minnesota's capital city since 1849, first as capital of the Territory of Minnesota, and then as the state capital since 1858. Saint Paul is adjacent to Minnesota's most populous city, Minneapolis; they and their suburbs are known collectively as the Twin Cities metropolitan area, the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States, and home to about 54 percent of the state's population. The remainder of the state is known as "Greater Minnesota" or pejoratively "Outstate Minnesota". The state has 17 cities with populations above 50,000 (as
The Minnesota State Rouser change to Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1998 and has certain emphasis on the nickname 'Minnesota State'. The tune references the latest school mascot adopted in 1977, the Maverick, a wild unbranded male steer bull and was written as a result of the winning suggestion by then Professor of Education Roy Cook. Hail to our colors, <br> The purple and the gold. <br> Rally for vict'ry, <br> We're back of you so fight, fight, fight. <br> You'll conquer our foes all you Mav'ricks brave and bold. <br> So fight on Minnesota State, <br> Come on let's go, let's go! <br>