Minnesota Capital Was Named After a Bootlegger?

Everyone Minnesotan knows that Saint Paul is the state's capital. But it was very nearly called something... Unusual.

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Located primarily east of the Mississippi River, the area of what is now known as Saint Paul was originally settled by the Hopewell Native Americans around 2,000 years ago. The United States acquired the land in the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803 and the U.S. Army began building forts in and around Saint Paul a short time later.

Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant was the first official resident of Saint Paul, Minnesota. His adventurous life brought him fame, notoriety, and for a time, his name was associated with the village that would eventually become the capital of the state. But he was also a bootlegger and had several run-ins with local law enforcement due to his dubious nature.

Pierre got the name "Pig's Eye" because of the prominent white ring around his left eye, making it look similar to the eye of a pig.

Because of Pierre's accomplishments, the area was originally named "Pig's Eye", but in 1841, after several meetings, it was decided to be renamed Saint Paul.

Interestingly enough, there are still several remnants of Pig's Eye located within the St. Paul city limits, including Pig's Eye Lake, found in the southeast part of the city.

Story Sources: Wikipedia Pig's Eye Page