Minnesota Territory’s earliest publications in St. Paul and St. Anthony (now Minneapolis) were known for their “vigorous expression of strong-minded opinion.” This lively account of old-style journalism examines the emergence of daily papers and some 100 English- and foreign-language weeklies in the communities beyond the Twin Cities, including the Emigrant Aid Journal of Nininger, the Chatfield Democrat, the Winona Republican, and early St. Cloud newspapers. Finally, author George Hage explores the rise of the state’s large metropolitan dailies and the people, issues, and politics that affected their growth. An appendix lists the papers published in Minnesota from 1849 to 1860.