 The influx of settlers in the 1850s transformed Minnesota from a sparsely populated territory of less than 10 @,@ 000 " white " settlers and a significantly larger native population , to a substantial population center of over 150 @,@ 000 predominantly European settlers . The city of Saint Paul expanded from less than 400 people in 1848 to over 2500 in 1852 and over 10 @,@ 000 in 1860 . 
