1. On July 11, 1901, the first forestry school in the United States opened in Little Falls, Minnesota. The school was opened by the Minnesota State Forestry Association and later became the Minnesota School of Forestry.

2. In 1961, on July 11, Korean War veteran and Duluth, MN native Felix Z. Longoria Jr. was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Longoria was killed in action and his body was initially denied funeral services by a funeral home because of his ethnicity.

3. On July 11, 1921, Susan Warner, a Minneapolis resident, became the first woman to be appointed the Deputy U.S. Marshal in Minnesota. She oversaw the transportation of women prisoners and also worked on several high-profile cases.

4. In 1950, on July 11, the Minneapolis Lakers NBA team signed George Mikan to a 5-year contract that made him the highest-paid athlete in professional sports at the time. Mikan led the Lakers to five championships and was later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

5. On July 11, 1996, the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN celebrated its 4th anniversary. The mall opened in 1992 and is the largest mall in the United States, with over 500 stores and entertainment options such as an indoor amusement park and aquarium.