Minnesota

Surprisingly, due to the flows of the jet stream, parts of Alaska often see relatively warm temperatures when Minnesota is experiencing extreme cold. Many of the Boston Harbor Islands are part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area that is run by the National Park Service. The state is famously cold in the winters, with a record low of −60 °F (−51 °C) measured at Tower, MN on February 2, 1996. There are also two self-guided walking tours: Harbor Walk (http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/), which is designed to allow people the walk the entire shore of Boston Harbor, and the Black Heritage Trail. Temperatures can reach extremes in Minnesota. Other sites of interest include Castle Island and Kenmore Square. The biggest event in the last century occurred near Morris in 1975 and rated between 4.6 and 4.8 in magnitude. The New England Aquarium as well as the Franklin Park Zoo are located within the city.

Aside from a few very minor earthquakes, Minnesota is one of the most geologically-stable regions in the country. The University of Massachusetts campus at Columbia Point houses the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library. The state's average elevation is 1,200 feet (366 m), with a high point at Eagle Mountain (2,301 ft or 701 m) and a low at the surface of Lake Superior (602 ft or 183 m). Boston is home to several world-renowned museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Science. Cloud, Mankato, Rochester (home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic), and Bloomington (home to the Mall of America). It is also the site of the Esplanade where the Boston Pops Orchestra play their annual Fourth of July concerts to large crowds. Other prominent cities include Duluth, St. The Charles River, with long stretches of parks along its banks, is a major recreation site for many Bostonians.

Together (and with surrounding suburbs), they are known as the Twin Cities. Other notable districts/neighborhoods include Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, North End, and South Boston. Paul, which sits on the Mississippi River next to Minnesota's largest city, Minneapolis. Back Bay is also the home of two of New England's tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center. The capital is St. Once a shallow lagoon, the Back Bay district now includes many prominent landmarks and sites of interests such as the Christian Science Center, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, Newbury Street, and Trinity Church. Traversing the state from southwest to northeast goes through the three different ecological regions. Such sites include:.

Minnesota sits at a convergence point between three of the great biomes of North America: the Great Plains of the west, the Eastern Deciduous Forest, and the Northern Boreal Forest of Canada. Many are found along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by a red line or bricks embedded in the ground. Minnesota is the northernmost of the 48 contiguous states (Alaska reaches significantly farther north), reaching to 49° 23' 04" north latitude, due to a small piece of the state known as the Northwest Angle. Due to the city's prominent role in the American Revolution, several historic sites relating to that period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park. In addition, Minnesota shares a water boundary with Michigan. See also: Sites of interest in Boston. The state is bordered on the north by Canada (Manitoba and Ontario), on the east by Wisconsin and Lake Superior, on the south by Iowa, and on the west by North Dakota and South Dakota. Other television stations broadcasting in the Boston market are:.

Although the high-grade iron ore was mostly mined out during World War II, taconite is still mined across the Iron Range. Most Boston television stations have their transmitters in nearby Needham and Newton. It is called the Iron Range because when discovered, it had some of the largest deposits of iron ore in the country. The city is also served by several Spanish-language television stations including those of Univision (WUNI channel 27, licensed to Worcester), TeleFutura (WUTF channel 66), and Telemundo (WNEU channel 60, licensed to Merrimack, New Hampshire, and simulcast on WTMU-LP channel 32). This is a range of low mountains that run across the northern part of the state. The city is served by stations representing every major American network including:. After its rivers and lakes, Minnesota's most prominent physical feature is the Iron Range. The Boston television DMA, which also includes Manchester, New Hampshire, is the fifth largest in the United States [1] (http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html).

Minnesota is home to many areas of park land, to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), as well as a number of state and county parks, most notably Itasca State Park, the official source of the Mississippi River. A variety of FM radio formats serve the area as well as NPR stations WBUR and WGBH. The Minnesota portion of Lake Superior is the largest body of water in the state. Several major AM stations include talk radio WRKO 680 AM, sports/talk station WEEI 850 AM, and news radio WBZ 1030 AM. In addition, the Iron Range and other low mountains are found in the northeastern part of the state. Boston has the largest broadcasting market in New England, with the Boston radio market being the ninth largest in the United States. However, the extreme southeastern portion of the state is part of the Driftless Area, which was not glaciated, and it is here that Lake Pepin and the rugged high bluffs of the Mississippi River are found. The Improper Bostonian (http://www.improper.com/) is a biweekly "what's happening" guide to the Boston area.

Much of the state is flat, having been eroded during repeated glacial periods (most recently the Wisconsin Glacier). Just Rentals and Just Property are exclusive to Real Estate and are bi-weekly. It is famous for its lakes, having in excess of 15,000, depending on the source of the count. The Boston Independent Media Center (http://boston.indymedia.org/) provides alternative views. Minnesota covers 79,610 square miles (2.25% of the United States). Spare Change is a bi-weekly paper. See: List of Minnesota counties. As of October 2004, the Weekly Dig is owned by Boston Magazine.

External links: Hyperlinked state constitution (http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/preamble.htm), full text of state constitution (http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/rules/mncon/mncon.htm). The Boston Phoenix, The Improper Bostonian, and the Weekly Dig are weekly newspapers. See also: List of political parties in Minnesota. A local edition of The Metro, a free paper, is also available. Some actions in the Twin Cities metropolitan area are coordinated by the Metropolitan Council, and many lakes and rivers are overseen by watershed districts and soil and water conservation districts. The Boston Globe, owned by the New York Times Company, and The Boston Herald are Boston's two major daily newspapers. In addition to the standard city and county levels of government found in the United States, Minnesota also has other entities that provide governmental oversight and planning. See also: Media in Boston..

Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.. The New England Medical Center is affiliated with Tufts University while the Boston Medical Center is the primary teaching facility for the Boston University School of Medicine. Appeals beyond this level go to the U.S. Other medical institutions include Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Lahey Clinic, and Children's Hospital. Louis, Missouri. Another hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical is Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Minnesota is part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in St. Rated as one of the best in the world, Mass General is the third oldest general hospital in the U.S., and the oldest and largest in New England.

Paul, or Duluth. One such hospital is the Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General), which is affiliated with the Harvard Medical School. Federal cases are heard in the federal district courts in Minneapolis, St. As the home to some of the world's most respected research hospitals, Boston enjoys an international reputation in the medical field. The state has two special courts created by state law as executive-branch agencies:. It is also a major seaport along the United States east coast. Minnesota's court system has three levels:. The Port of Boston is the largest and busiest seaport in Massachusetts.

The Minnesota Senate is controlled by the DFL by five seats and there is one Independence Party state senator, former Republican Sheila Kiscaden (IP-Rochester) who seats with the DFL. Teradyne, one of the world's leading manufacturer of semiconductors and other electronic equipment, has its corporate headquarters located in Boston. In the November 2004 election, the Republican Party retained control of the Minnesota House of Representatives by a single seat, having lost a total of 13 seats. Boston Scientific is located in Natick, and Gillette is headquartered in Boston. The state has 67 districts, each covering about 60,000 people. Each district has one senator and two representatives (each district being divided into A and B subsections). Senators serve for four years, and representatives serve for two years. Raytheon has its global headquarters in nearby Waltham while Novell also has its corporate headquarters there. The Minnesota State Legislature is a bicameral body consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives. Shoe and athletic apparel maker Reebok is headquartered in nearby Canton.

The full list of governors, and the dates they took office, is available at List of Governors of Minnesota. Boston headquartered Fidelity Investments helped popularize the mutual fund in the 1980s, and has made Boston one of the top financial cities in the United States. He has a cabinet consisting of the leaders of various government agencies in the state. Other important industries include financial services, especially mutual funds and insurance. The governor and lieutenant governor each have four-year terms. Boston's colleges and universities have drawn high-tech industries to the city, including computer hardware and software companies like EMC Corporation (headquartered in Hopkinton) and Akamai (headquartered in nearby Cambridge), as well as biotechnology companies like Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec. The executive branch is headed by the Governor of Minnesota, currently Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, who started his term on January 6, 2003. See also: An annotated bibliography of fiction set in Boston (http://www.cas.suffolk.edu/richman/Boston/bosbib.htm) (external weblink).

Like the national government of the United States, power is divided into three main branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. See also: List of television shows set in Boston. Political conservatism is less strongly linked to church attendance in Minnesota than in other parts of the country, perhaps a reflection of the strong mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic following. Boston is also home to a wide array of musical talent from bands like Boston, Godsmack, and Aerosmith, to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, the Boston Philharmonic, the Boston Lyric Opera Company, and the Handel and Hayden Society (the oldest choral company in the U.S.) among many others. state. The weekend following Labor Day, the boutiques on Newbury Street close as over thirty art galleries spill out onto the street, providing unlimited access to their contents during Art Newbury Street. presidential election, the highest of any U.S. The Boston Film Festival is held annually in early September.

77.3% of Minnesotans voted in the 2004 U.S. The Boston Globe Jazz and Blues Festival takes place each June; the Boston Early Music Festival takes place every odd-numbered year. Minnesota politics include such oddities as Professional wrestler turned Governors and protestors turned crowd-surfing mayors. The Boston Ballet is a world-renowned classical dance company. Minnesota is known for active yet quirky politics, with populism being a long-standing force among all of the political parties that call the state home. Avant garde theatres are scattered throughout the city, especially along Huntington Avenue. Environmentalism is shared by most state residents in one form or another, vegans and hunters alike. The Theater District, south of Boston Common, contains a number of ornate theatres, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre and The Wang Center for the Performing Arts.

Families frequently own or share cabins on central and northern tracts of land in forests and adjoining lakes, and weekend trips out to these properties are common. Mark Twain once wrote of it, In New York they ask "how much money does he have?" In Philadelphia, they ask, "who were his parents?" In Boston they ask, "how much does he know?" It is also considered one of the most culturally impressive cities in the world. Unique activities include ice fishing, which was popular with the early Scandinavian immigrants. Boston is considered to be a highly intellectual city. Outdoor activities are major parts of the lives of many Minnesotans, including hunting and fishing. Surrounding cities host Babson College, Bentley College, Brandeis University, Hellenic College, Lesley University, the Longy School of Music, Merrimack College, Pine Manor College, Regis College, Tufts University and Wellesley College, among others. Many modern immigrants are attracted by the state's historically strong commitments toward education and social services. Other schools in Boston proper include Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory, the Boston Architectural Center, Boston University, Emerson College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, the Massachusetts College of Art, the New England Conservatory of Music, Northeastern University, Simmons College, and Suffolk University.

Mexicans are a growing force, as they are across the U.S. The greater Boston area is home to over 100 colleges. Some Chinese and Japanese have had long presences in the state as well. Cambridge is also the home of the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Modern immigrants have come from all over the world in recent decades, with Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Indians, Middle Easterners, and the former Soviet bloc all being well-represented. Harvard University, the nation's oldest university, was founded in Cambridge, where it maintains its main campus, though the bulk of its current land holdings lie in Boston. The Métis people, a mixed French and Native American culture, were a presence in the early state and territorial days, but largely moved north into Canada. However, it moved from the city's South End to then-rural Chestnut Hill to escape Boston's rapid urbanization in the late nineteenth century.

Native Americans have a moderate presence in Minnesota, and some tribes operate casinos which have been said to be among the most profitable in the country. The earliest European exploration and settlement was by the French, and settlement from Scandinavian countries along with Germany followed. Boston College was the first institution of higher education to be founded in Boston. However, many cultures are slowly mixing together in the state today. The Boston area is well-known for its colleges and universities. Stereotypical Minnesotans are known for various attributes, including Lutheranism, "Minnesota nice", "hot dish", and sing-songy Scandinavian accents. See also: List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts.. The eastern half of the territory of Minnesota became the country's 32nd state—after California—on May 11, 1858. The city also serves as the home of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit as well as the headquarters of the 1st District of the Federal Reserve Bank.

Minnesota Territory was carved out of Iowa Territory on March 3, 1849, but it was not coextensive with the present state, since the area included what later became the territory of Dakota (which later still became the states of North Dakota and South Dakota). The National Archives has a regional center in nearby Waltham. Parts were also considered to be in the Northwest Territory. O'Neil Federal Building. Much of the state was purchased from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase, although the exact definition of that land was not assessed for many years afterward. Kennedy Federal Office Building and the Thomas P. It is now a historic site. Properties include the John F.

military presences in the state. Boston is also the United States federal government center for New England. Fort Snelling, located at the confluence of the Minnesota River and the Mississippi River, was one of the earliest U.S. The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) operates Boston's Logan International Airport. Croix River, though many histories focus on the military settlement that took place farther west. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority runs the "T", Boston's public transport system. Some say that the earliest European settlement was in the area of the current city of Stillwater, on the St. In addition to city government, numerous state authorities and commissions play a role in the life of Bostonians, including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (water and sewer) and the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation, formerly known as the Metropolitan District Commission (some parks and most beaches).

The evidence for this is largely based on the controversial Kensington Runestone, which most historians consider to be an elaborate hoax. The School Committee is appointed by the mayor, as are city department heads. According to local tradition, the first European visitors were Swedish and Norwegian Vikings in the 14th century. The President of the City Council is elected by the Councilors from within themselves. In this time, the economy originally consisted of hunter-gatherer activities, which changed over time as Europeans settled in the area and further exploited the state's natural resources. The top four vote-getters are elected. The area now known as Minnesota was originally inhabited by Native Americans, in particular the Ojibwe (Chippewa, Anishinaabe) and Dakota, although the Winnebago also had a presence in the southeastern part of the state. Each voter casts up to four votes for at-large councilors; no more than one vote per candidate.

Main article: History of Minnesota. There are four at-large seats. Other nicknames for the state include Land of 10,000 Lakes and the North Star State. There are nine wards or neighborhood seats, each elected by plurality voting by the residents of that ward. The USS Minnesota was named in honor of this state, as was the SS Gopher State. The City Council is elected every two years. The state is a major food producer for the country, and has a number of natural resources that have been greatly exploited in the last two centuries. The mayor is elected to a four-year term by plurality voting (see List of Mayors of Boston, Massachusetts).

More than half of the state's residents live there. Boston has a "strong mayor" system in which the mayor, Thomas Menino, is is vested with extensive executive powers. The most significant metropolitan area is known as the Twin Cities, combining the state's most populous cities, Minneapolis and the capital of Saint Paul, along with multiple "rings" of suburbs. Boston is notable for having one of the most attractive and livable urban cores in the country; rents and housing prices are correspondingly high. Minnesota is the largest state by area in the Midwestern United States and is in the subregion known as the Upper Midwest. Dorchester is probably the most diverse Boston neighborhood being populated with every ethnic group. The state's name is abbreviated MN or Minn.. Roxbury and Mattapan, located south of downtown, are populated largely by African Americans and Hispanics, as well as middle-class families priced out of more expensive neighborhoods.

Its name is from the Dakota people's name for the Minnesota River, mini sota, variously translated "smoky-white water" or "sky-tinted water". The South End, south of the Back Bay, is populated by gays, artists, yuppies, African Americans, and Hispanics—it is noted for its restaurant scene and bohemian atmosphere. Minnesota is the 32nd state of the United States, having joined the Union on May 11, 1858. The Back Bay, west of the Public Garden, is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the United States—it includes the shops and restaurants on Newbury Street and the two tallest skyscrapers in Boston. Steve Zahn. Allston/Brighton, for example, is populated mostly by students from nearby Boston University and recent graduates. Dave Winfield. Each of the neighborhoods has a distinct character.

Roy Wilkins. The city is divided into many neighborhoods (http://www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/), including: Allston, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Fenway/Kenmore, the North End, Hyde Park, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, the South End, Chinatown, Bay Village and West Roxbury. DeWitt Wallace. Out of the total population, 25.6% of those under the age of 18 and 18.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Jesse Ventura. 19.5% of the population and 15.3% of families are below the poverty line. Cheryl Tiegs. The per capita income for the city is $23,353.

Lea Thompson. Males have a median income of $37,435 versus $32,421 for females. Taylor. The median income for a household in the city is $39,629, and the median income for a family is $44,151. Glen A. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.2 males. Harold Stassen. For every 100 females there are 92.8 males.

Kevin Sorbo. The median age is 31 years. Seann William Scott. In the city the population is spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 16.2% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. Charles Schulz. The average household size is 2.31 and the average family size is 3.17. Winona Ryder. 37.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older.

Marion Ross. There are 239,528 households out of which 22.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.4% are married couples living together, 16.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 51.9% are non-families. The Replacements. Census data does not account for this significant segment of the community because of confusing terminology, as Brazilians speak Portuguese and often do not consider themselves Hispanic or Latino. Prince. These figures become less reliable due to the large undocumented Brazilian population, estimated by some studies to approach 250,000 in Massachusetts. Carl Pohlad. 14.44% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Mondale. The racial makeup of the city is 54.48% White, 25.33% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 7.52% Asian American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 7.83% from other races, and 4.39% from two or more races. Walter F. Boston is the capital of "Irish America". Paul Molitor. There are 251,935 housing units at an average density of 2,008.5/km² (5,202.5/mi²). The Irish are the largest ethnic group in the city of Boston. Kevin McHale. The population density is 4,696.9/km² (12,165.8/mi²).

McCarthy. As of the census² of 2000, there are 589,141 people, 239,528 households, and 115,212 families residing in the city. Eugene J. In the winter, the Frog Pond at Boston Common doubles as a popular ice-skating rink. Roger Maris. The outer suburbs of Boston, which tend to be forested, have vibrantly-colored foliage every autumn that attracts many tourtists. John Madden. Mark Twain is quoted as saying If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes. Boston is no exception to this rule.

Lipps Inc. (1,100 mm) of snowfall a year, though this increases dramatically as one goes inland away from the city. Charles Lindbergh. It also coincidentally averages 42 in. Sinclair Lewis. (1,100 mm) of rainfall a year. Tom Lehman. The city averages 42 in.

Jessica Lange. The coldest month is January with an average high of 35.6 °F (2 °C) and a low of 21.5 °F (−6 °C). Peter Krause. The hottest month is August, with an average high of 80 °F (27 °C) and a low of 64 °F (18 °C). Craig Kilborn. It has been known to snow in October and get quite warm in February. Kellogg. The summers are usually warm and humid, while the winters are cold and windy.

Frank B. The weather in Boston, like much of New England, changes rapidly. Garrison Keillor. The Neponset River forms the boundary between the city and its southeast neighbors, Quincy and Milton. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. To the east lies Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands, many of which are open to the public. Hüsker Dü. The Charles River separates Boston from Cambridge, and Charlestown.

Humphrey. Boston is bordered by the cities of Revere, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Newton, and Quincy, and the towns of Winthrop, Brookline, Needham, Dedham, Canton, and Milton. Hubert H. Only Beacon Hill, the smallest of the three original hills, remains partially intact. Josh Hartnett. Much of the Back Bay, and South End are built on reclaimed land—two and a half of Boston's three original hills were used as a source of material for the landfill. Terry Gilliam. The total area is 45.98% water.

Judy Garland. 125.4 km² (48.4 mi²) of it is land and 106.7 km² (41.2 mi²) of it is water. Al Franken. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 232.1 km² (89.6 mi²). Scott Fitzgerald. Related articles. F. Despite these losses, Boston's ambiance has improved in recent years — city streets bustle with a vitality not seen since the 1920s, crime and poverty remain low for an American city, and once again Boston has become a hub of intellectual, technological, and political ideas.

Tammy Faye. Recently, Boston has experienced a loss of regional institutions and traditions, which once gave it a very distinct social character, as it has become part of the more homogenized BosWash megalopolis. Bob Dylan. Their execution sparked riots in London, Paris and Germany, and helped to reinforce the image of Boston as a hotbed of intolerance. Morris Day. On August 23, 1927, Italian anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti were sent to the electric chair after a seven-year trial in Boston. Rachel Leigh Cook. Today it is known as "The T" and is run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

Joel and Ethan Coen. Also, on September 1, 1897, the Tremont Street Subway opened as the first underground streetcar subway in North America. Warren Burger. During the 1800s, the first medical school for women, The Boston Female Medical School (which later merged with the Boston University School of Medicine), opened in Boston on November 1, 1848. Herb Brooks. The city has several notable "firsts." Both the first school in America, Boston Latin School (1635), and the first college in America, Harvard College (1636), were founded in the early days of Boston. Jessica Biel. It was chartered as a city in 1822, and by the mid-1800s it was one of the largest manufacturing centers in the nation, noted for its garment production, leather goods, and machinery industries.

Ann Bancroft. After the revolutionary war, the city became one of the world's wealthiest international trading ports, exporting products such as rum, fish, salt and tobacco. Richard Dean Anderson. During this period, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride. Louie Anderson. The Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and several of the early battles of the Revolution (such as the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston) occurred in or near the city. Loni Anderson. Boston played a key role in sparking both the American Revolution and the ensuing American Revolutionary War.

Eddie Albert. Indeed, Puritan values of hard work, moral uprightness, and education remain a part of Boston's culture. Father Jacques Marquette. These values molded an extremely stable and well-structured society in Boston. Joseph Nicollet. Winthrop's sermon, "a City upon a Hill," captured this idea. Henry Schoolcraft. Early colonists believed that Boston was a community with a special covenant with God.

Zebulon Pike. Founded on September 17, 1630, on a peninsula called Shawmut by the Native Americans who lived there, Boston is named after Boston, England, a town in Lincolnshire from which several prominent colonists originated. Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut. Its history is inherently intertwined with the history of the United States. Father Louis Hennepin. Boston has an illustrious history that spans nearly four centuries. Michel Aco. Main article: History of Boston.

Nicknames – "Gopher State," "North Star State," "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Greater Boston is one of the top-ten largest metropolitan areas in the United States, the fifteenth in the Americas, and the one of the top-fifty largest in the world. State tree – Norway Pine. The Greater Boston metropolitan area, including nearby cities and towns such as Cambridge, Brookline, and Quincy as well as many suburban communities further from the city, has a population of approximately 5.8 million residents. State song – "Hail! Minnesota". As of the 2000 census, its population was 589,141. State picture – Grace. Its nicknames include "Beantown", "The Hub" (shortened from Oliver Wendell Holmes' phrase The Hub of the Universe), "The City of Higher Learning" (due to the plethora of universities and colleges in the Boston area) and The Athens of America, due to its great influence on cultural, intellectual, and political matters.

State mushroom – Morel (sponge mushroom; honeycomb morel). It is the unofficial capital of the region known as New England as well as one of the oldest and wealthiest cities in the United States, with an economy based on education, health care, finance, and high technology. State muffin – Blueberry (adopted as part of a school project on how a bill becomes law). The city is also the county seat of Suffolk County. State motto – L'Étoile du Nord (“Star of the North”). Boston is the capital and the largest city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. Territory Motto (actual) – Quo sursum velo videre (“I cover to see what is above” is the closest translation). MLB.com (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1903). Accessed June 1, 2005.

Territory Motto (intended) – Quae sursum volo videre (“I wish to see what is beyond”). 1903 World Series - Major League Baseball: World Series History. State grain – Wild rice. Accessed May 15, 2005. State gemstone – Lake Superior Agate. Skyscrapers.com (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/?id=101045). State flower – Pink and White Showy Lady Slipper. Boston Skyscrapers.

State fish – Walleye. Portland, Oregon. State drink – Milk. Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. State butterfly – Monarch. Taipei, Republic of China. State bird – Loon. Padua, Italy.

65+ - 594,266 (12.1%). Haifa, Israel. 35-64 - 1,894,747 (38.6%). Melbourne, Australia. 19-34 - 1,068,850 (21.7%). Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. 0-18 - 1,361,616 (27.7%). Barcelona, Spain.

1.4% mixed race. Strasbourg, France. 1.1% American Indian. Kyoto, Japan. 2.9% Asian. Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, specifically South Boston. 2.9% Hispanic. Sharon McKendrick and her mother Maggie from the 1961 version of the Parent Trap.

3.5% Black. The characters from the TV sitcom Cheers. 88.2% White. Trapper John McIntyre and Major Charles Emerson Winchester III from M*A*S*H. It has five judges appointed by the governor to six-year terms, following approval from the state Senate. Manchester Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire. The Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals deals with cases involving worker injuries referred to it on appeal, or transferred from district court. Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island.

It has three judges appointed by the governor to six-year terms, following approval from the state Senate. F. The Tax Court deals with non-criminal tax cases across the state. T. The court automatically reviews first-degree murder convictions, and settles disputes over legislative elections. Hanscom Field in Lexington and Bedford. The seven justices on the Supreme Court hear appeals from the Court of Appeals, the Tax Court, and the Worker's Compensation Court. Boston Celtics (Basketball - National Basketball Association).

Minnesota Supreme Court. Boston Bruins (Ice hockey - National Hockey League). There are 16 judges, who divide into three-judge panels to hear appeals in courts across the state. USS Constitution. This body hears appeals on cases tried in the trial courts. Paul Revere's House. Minnesota Court of Appeals. Old North Church.

Most state cases start in the trial courts. Old State House. The state is split into 10 judicial districts, with 257 judges. Massachusetts State House. Trial courts. Granary Burying Ground. Faneuil Hall.

Bunker Hill Monument. Boston Common, with the Boston Public Garden being adjacent. Channel 68 - WBPX (PAX). Channel 62 - WMFP (Shop At Home).

Channel 56 - WLVI (WB). Channel 48 - WYDN (DayStar). Channel 46 - WWDP (ShopNBC). Channel 38 - WSBK (UPN).

PBS - WGBH Channel 2, which also operates WGBX channel 44, is a major producer of PBS programs. FOX - WFXT Channel 25. NBC - WHDH Channel 7. ABC - WCVB Channel 5.

CBS - WBZ Channel 4. Specifically, "12 Prospero Place, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.". Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events movie takes place in Boston, as seen on the envelope at the end of the movie. Zodiac, by Neal Stephenson; an eco-thriller focusing on industrial pollution in the Boston Harbor.

The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner; part of the story finds its setting in Boston. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood; post-nuclear Cambridge and Boston are the setting of this dystopian novel. Looking Backward, utopian novel written in 1887 and set in Boston in 2000. The Bostonians, by Henry James; life in aristocratic Boston during the late nineteenth century.

The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown; Boston is the home of protagonist Robert Langdon. Parker. The Spenser detective novels, by Robert B. Curley.

The Last Hurrah, by Edwin O'Connor; O'Connor's 1956 account of big-city politics, inspired by the career of longtime Boston Mayor James M. Walk East on Beacon!. What's the Worst That Could Happen?. Vig (Money Kings).

The Verdict. Un Ballo in Maschera, Opera by Giuseppe Verdi. Thomas Crown Affair. Still We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie.

The Paper Chase. Night School. Next Stop Wonderland. Mystic River.

Monument Ave.. Love Story. Legally Blonde. Harvard Man.

Good Will Hunting. The Friends of Eddie Coyle. Fever Pitch. Coma.

The Brink's Job. The Boondock Saints. Blue Hill Avenue. Blown Away.

Blow. Boston LBGT Pride parade and festival (http://www.bostonpride.org/). Boston Marathon, the world-famous 26-mile run. Saint Patrick's Day Parade.

Fourth of July on the Esplanade (fireworks and music on a massive scale). First Night (http://www.firstnight.org/) Boston's major New Year's Eve arts and activity festival, attracting over 1.5m people. Siege of Boston. Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Boston Tea Party. Boston Massacre. American Revolutionary War. American Revolution.