Historic Minnesota events with anniversaries this week.

May 22

1888 Minneapolis architect LeRoy S. Buffington, the "Father of the Skyscraper," patents a construction method involving a steel skeleton that allows structures to be built to any height. He referred to them as "cloudscrapers."

May 23

1857 Twelve counties are created. Six are named for individuals important to the state's history: Aitkin is for William A. Aitkin (also spelled Aitken), who ran an American Fur Company post on Sandy Lake; Carlton honors Reuben B. Carlton, a...