The country of Finland has long been known for its many lakes—estimated to number over 187,000 lakes, and there is also a Finnish lake district. “Land of the thousand lakes” was a verse in a Finnish national song that was published in English in 1851. Several books on Finland published in the 1890s used “the land of a thousand lakes” in the title.
Minnesota is a state that has many lakes; “10,000 lakes” is a popular, but inexact, number. “There are 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, and many of them attract visitors” was cited in print in 1870. “It is asserted that Minnesota contains no less than 10,000 lakes” was cited in 1882.
The “Land of 10,000 Lakes” Minnesota slogan has been cited in print since at least 1919. “10,000 Lakes” was put on Minnesota license plates in 1950.
Minnesota is also called the “Gopher State” and the “North Star State.”
Wikipedia: Minnesota
Minnesota (/mɪnᵻˈsoʊtə/; locally About this sound [ˌmɪnəˈso̞ɾə]) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory. The name comes from the Dakota word for “clear blue water”. Owing to its large number of lakes, the state is informally known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes”.
Wikipedia: List of lakes in Minnesota
This is a list of lakes in Minnesota. Minnesota is known as The Land of 10,000 Lakes and officially there are 11,842 lakes more than ten acres (40,000 m²) in size. The prevalence of lakes has generated many repeat names. For example, there are more than 200 Mud Lakes, 150 Long Lakes, and 120 Rice Lakes. All but four Minnesota counties (Mower, Olmsted, Pipestone and Rock) contain at least one natural lake. Minnesota’s lakes provide 44,926 miles of shoreline, more than the combined lake (~32,000 mi) and coastal (3,427 mi) shorelines of California.
Wikipedia: List of lakes of Finland
There are 187,888 lakes in Finland larger than 5 ares (500 square metres / 5,382 sq.ft.) Most are small, but there are 309 lakes or reservoirs larger than 10 km². They are listed here along with some smaller noteworthy lakes.
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
11 December 1851, New-York (NY)
FINNISH NATIONAL SONG.
Translated from the Swedish of Runsberg.
BY J. P. ADDISON
(...)
Land of the thousand lakes, loved land
Of Truth and Poesy, ...
24 July 1870, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY), “Minnesota,” pg. 1, col. 7:
There are 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, and many of them attract visitors.
16 January 1882, Rockford (IL) Daily Gazette, “Items of Interest,” pg. 3, col. 2:
It is asserted that Minnesota contains no less than 10,000 lakes, with an average extent of 300 acres each. These lakes, it is said, cover one-twentieth of the surface of the state.
Google Books
Finland:
Its Forests and Forest Management
Compiled by John Crumbie Brown
Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd
1883
Pg. 15:
Finland, as I have stated, is poetically known in the country as ” The land of a thousand lakes,” and as “The last-born daughter of the sea.”
OCLC WorldCat record
Finland or “The land of a thousand lakes” : a short description of a voyage to and sojourn there
Publisher: Helsingfors 1891
Edition/Format: Print book : English
OCLC WorldCat record
Finland, or “The land of a thousand lakes”
Author: August Ramsay; Suomen Matkailijayhdistys.
Publisher: Helsingfors, 1894.
Edition/Format: Print book : English
OCLC WorldCat record
Finland: “the land of a thousand lakes.”
Author: John Beveridge; University of St. Andrews. Library. Beveridge Collection.
Publisher: Hull : M. Harland & Son, Manor Street, 1899.
Edition/Format: Print book : English
Chronicling America
6 August 1919, Denison (IA) Review, “Great Natural Playground,” sec. 2, pg. 4, col. 1:
THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES
(Minnesota.—ed.)
20 July 1920, The NonPareil (Council Bluffs IA), “Railroad News<" pg. 5, col. 5:
Colorado is offering some dandy summer vacation resorts this year, while the Chicago, Great Western is boosting Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes, with all the fish in the country, and many tourists are going to these places.
Chronicling America
1 June 1922, The Caledonian-Record (St. Johnsbury, VT), “Publicity Work for Roosevelt Highway,” pg. 5, col. 4:
... land of 10,000 lakes, Northern Minnesota; ...
30 May 1923, Variety, Pg. 30, col. 5:
MINNEAPOLIS
Summer resorts of Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes, are featuring pictures this season as one of the entertainment features.
OCLC WorldCat record
Saint Paul, gateway to the great northwest : in the land of 10,000 lakes.
Author: Saint Paul Association.
Publisher: [Saint Paul, Minn.] : Saint Paul Association, [between 1924 and 1927]
Edition/Format: Print book : English
OCLC WorldCat record
All routes lead to Saint Paul : port of entry to the great northwest : in the land of 10,000 lakes : the vacation city, the convention city.
Author: Saint Paul Association.
Publisher: [Saint Paul, Minn.] : Saint Paul Association, [1928]
Edition/Format: Print book : English
OCLC WorldCat record
Marvelous Minnesota : fish and play in the land of 10,000 lakes
Author: Bud Matthes; United States. Forest Service.; Minneapolis Star Company.
Publisher: [Minneapolis, Minn.] : [Minneapolis Star Co.], [1940]
Edition/Format: Map : English
OCLC WorldCat record
Minnesota resort and travel guide : land of 10,000 lakes.
Author: Pauline Graham; Richard L. Forrest Publishing Co. (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Publisher: [Minneapolis, Minn.] : [R.L. Forrest Pub. Co.], [1945]
Edition/Format: Print book : English : 1945 ed
22 December 1952, Trenton (NJ) Evening Times, “19 States ‘Plug’ Features On License Plate Slogans” (UP), pg. 13, cols. 7-8:
Minnesota and Florida stress the vacation theme. Minnesota uses “10,000 Lakes” on its license plates and Florida notes it’s the “Sunshine State.”
Wisconsinology
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Wisconsin… Land of 15,000 Lakes
Wisconsin vs. Minnesota…Who has more lakes? No two websites, books, or DNR pamphlets can come to an agreement on this. One recently published book has Wisconsin checking in at 14,927 lakes, Minnesota at 11,842. The State DNR website has Wisconsin at 15,081 lakes. The Minnesota DNR lists 11,842 lakes(10 acres or more). At least Minnesota is consistent - they always clock in at 11,842. Wisconsin sources report everything from 12,348 to 15,081 to 14,324 and often neglect to specify the acreage of the numbered lakes. My own answer is, “I don’t know.”
Satellite imaging at LakeSat.org gives Wisconsin “...nearly 15,000 lakes”(I love those accurate figures)and Minnesota “...over 10,000.”