1. On March 12, 1878, the city of Duluth was officially incorporated. Duluth, located on Lake Superior, became a major port city and flourished during the early 20th century as a center for the lumber and iron industries.

2. March 12, 1912 marked the day construction began on the iconic Split Rock Lighthouse on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The lighthouse, which took two years to complete, was built following the tragic Mataafa Storm of 1905, which claimed several ships and lives.

3. On March 12, 1948, the Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers) defeated the Chicago Stags to win the National Basketball League championship. This was the first of many basketball titles for the Lakers franchise.

4. Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich declared March 12, 1985 “Princess Kay In The Kitchen Day” in honor of Princess Kay of the Milky Way, a goodwill ambassador for the state’s dairy industry. The day recognizes the traditional butter sculpting competition held annually at the Minnesota State Fair, where Princess Kay’s likeness is sculpted in butter.

5. March 12, 2011 marked the date of one of the largest protests in Minnesota history, with over 10,000 people gathering at the state capitol to protest proposed budget cuts and changes to collective bargaining rights for public employees. The protest was part of a larger wave of protests across the country known as the “Wisconsin Uprising.”