Saint Paul City Guide

Saint Paul is the capital of Minnesota and the seat of Ramsey County. This cosmopolitan city blends old and new together seamlessly, from the Victorian style of its numerous historic buildings (many of which are still in use) to the ultra-modern design of the Xcel Energy Center. Enclosed skyways run between many of the downtown buildings providing not only protection from the weather, but a breathtaking view of the Mississippi River. The city of Minneapolis is situated nearby, and together these two urban centers form the Twin Cities area.

In 1827, Fort Snelling was constructed where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers come together in Minnesota. As settlers flocked to the area, they naturally migrated to the area around the fort for protection. One of these settlers was Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant, a retired fur trader who had taken up the lucrative business of selling whiskey to the Native Americans, other settlers, and soldiers in the fort. When he and his cohorts were expelled from the fort in 1838, Parrant moved his operation a few miles north to a landing on the banks of the Mississippi. Parrant's settlement grew, primarily from the disbanded squatter camps in the area. The river men who frequented Parrant's saloon named the settlement Pig's Eye Landing.