John Ireland was born in Ireland and immigrated to Minnesota in 1852. He was ordained a priest and was responsible for building many Catholic schools in Minnesota, including The University of St. Thomas and St. Thomas Academy.

Also in the show: Itasca State Park was created in 1891. At the time, rampant logging was stopped in the area. The Civilian Conservation Corps built structures and spruced up the park. Itasca is enjoyed by thousands of tourists each year.