PIERRE BOTTINEAU (1817-1895)
                                                       Hero of North Dakota & Minnesota

A man born in present-day North Dakota has a city and county in this state named after him, is a legendary hero in the state of Minnesota, and is considered to be one of the founding fathers of Minneapolis-St. Paul and other numerous cities in Minnesota and North Dakota. Pierre Bottineau is also given much of the credit for keeping Fort Abercrombie from being overrun by hostile Sioux in 1862. Today, Bottineau is honored with a public library and a boulevard in Minneapolis, a memorial statue in the town of Bottineau, and a parade every July in the city of Maple Grove.