The State of Minnesota has 3 nicknames - the North Star State, the Gopher State, and the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Minnesota entered into Statehood on May 11, 1858, and the Minnesota State Capital is St Paul. The Minnesota State motto is L'Etoile du Nord, which means The North Star. The Minnesota State flower is the lady slipper (1902). The Minnesota State tree is the red (or Norway) pine (1953). The Minnesota State bird is the common loon (also called great northern diver) (1961). The Minnesota State song is “Hail Minnesota” (1945). The Minnesota State fish is the walleye (1965). The Minnesota State mushroom is the morel (1984).