 Many of the <unk> of Minnesota culture that are perceived as the area 's early history in fact originated after this period . Notably , the heavy Scandinavian immigration for which the state is known , and the pioneering days chronicled by author Laura <unk> Wilder occurred after statehood in the later 19th century . Unlike these later years , the first half of the 19th century was characterized by sparsely populated communities , harsh living conditions , and to some degree , lawlessness . 
