▁the ▁river . ▁The ▁Minnesota ▁Territ ory , ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁state , ▁were ▁named ▁for ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁Com mer cial ▁significance ▁The ▁river ▁valley ▁is ▁notable ▁as ▁the ▁origin ▁and ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁can ning ▁industry ▁in ▁Minnesota . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁Car son ▁N es bit ▁Cos gro ve , ▁an ▁entrepr ene ur ▁in ▁Le ▁Sue ur ▁pres ided ▁at ▁the ▁organiz ational ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Valley ▁C anning ▁Company ▁( l ater ▁renamed ▁Green ▁Gi ant ). ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁River ▁valley ▁had ▁emer ged ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁largest ▁produ cers ▁of ▁sweet ▁corn . ▁Green ▁Gi ant ▁had ▁five ▁can ner ies ▁in ▁Minnesota ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁original ▁facility ▁in ▁Le ▁Sue ur . ▁ ▁Cos gro ve ' s ▁son , ▁Edward , ▁and ▁grand son , ▁Robert ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁heads ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁over ▁the ▁en su ing ▁dec ades ▁before ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁General ▁M ills . ▁Several ▁do cks ▁for ▁b arg es ▁exist ▁along ▁the ▁river . ▁Farm ▁gra ins , ▁including ▁corn , ▁are ▁transport ed ▁to ▁the ▁ports ▁of ▁Min ne apolis ▁and ▁Saint ▁Paul , ▁and ▁then ▁sh ipped ▁down ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁ ▁Trib ut aries ▁ ▁C ities ▁and ▁towns ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁Minnesota ▁rivers ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁cross ings ▁of ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁River ▁ ▁Minnesota ▁Valley ▁( disambiguation ) ▁ ▁Notes ▁and ▁references