State Seal of Minnesota
The seal of Minnesota was first adopted in the year 1858; it was altered in 1971 and then in 1983. The present-day seal features many symbolic representations that depict the culture, heritage, and geography of Minnesota.
“The Minnesota Secretary of State is the keeper of the Great Seal of the State of Minnesota and affixes the seal to government documents to make them official. Just as people authenticate a document by signing their name to it, the state seal acts as the State’s signature. When Minnesota became a state on May 11, 1858, it did not have an official state seal—despite a constitutional requirement to have one.”
The Minnesota Plains are represented by the horizon line on the seal; the mounted native signifies the state’s history while the farmer and his tools symbolize agriculture. St. Anthony Falls and the Mississippi River are featured to emphasize their importance as a resource as well as for transportation. The seal also features the State’s motto ”The Star of the North” and the state tree the pine tree.