On This Date In Twin Cities History - October 19, 1912

On this date in 1912, a bronze statue of Minnesota’s 19th Governor, John A. Johnson, is unveiled in St. Paul on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol. Born in St. Peter, Minnesota on July 28, 1861, Johnson was the state’s first native-born governor, its first governor to serve a full term in the current State Capitol building, and its first governor to die while holding the office.

After Johnson’s death from cancer in 1909, $25,000 was raised to build this monument. No one could contribute more than $1 and nearly 100,000 people contributed, a testament to Johnson’s popularity. Created by sculptor Andrew O’Connor, the monument depicts Johnson atop a granite pedestal surrounded by four other figures representing Minnesota’s first major industries: iron mining, agriculture, manufacturing and lumbering.