1. On August 7, 1862, the U.S. Dakota War began in Minnesota. The conflict arose when tensions between the Dakota people and white settlers led to violent attacks, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. The war lasted for several months and led to the forced removal of the Dakota people from the state.

2. In 1915, the Minnesota State Fair opened on August 7 for the first time in its current location in St. Paul. The fair, which attracts millions of visitors each year, is known for its agriculture exhibits, live music, and deep-fried foods.

3. The Minneapolis Star Tribune, one of the largest newspapers in Minnesota, was founded on August 7, 1867. The newspaper has won numerous Pulitzer Prizes for its investigative reporting and remains a major source of news and information for the state.

4. On August 7, 1981, Prince played his first concert at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. The show, which was part of his "Controversy" tour, marked the beginning of the musician's rise to global fame.

5. August 7 is also the date of birth of famous Minnesotan astronaut Karen Nyberg. Nyberg was born in 1969 in Parkers Prairie and became the first person from the state to travel to space when she served as a flight engineer on a mission to the International Space Station in 2008.