1. On February 12, 1915, the Saint Paul Winter Carnival held its first ice palace lighting ceremony. The ice palace was 102 feet tall and illuminated by more than 2,000 incandescent bulbs.

2. In 1941, future Minnesota governor Arne Carlson was born on February 12 in New York City. Carlson served as governor from 1991-1999 and was known for his fiscal conservatism and support of environmental protection.

3. February 12, 1965 saw the establishment of the Minnesota Historical Society's Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Mendota Heights as a National Historic Landmark. Built in 1853, the church was the first Catholic parish in Minnesota.

4. On February 12, 1984, the United States Olympic men's ice hockey team defeated the Minnesota North Stars in an exhibition game in preparation for the upcoming Winter Olympics. The game was played at the Met Center in Bloomington, MN.

5. In 2004, February 12 was declared "Celebrate a Snowplow Driver Day" by the Minnesota Senate. The resolution recognized the important role that snowplow drivers play in keeping Minnesota's roads safe and clear during the winter months.