Why 'Nobody' Lives In Northern And Western Minnesota

Minnesota, home to more than 11,000 lakes, has a pretty sizeable population. But the vast majority of this population exists in the southern and eastern part of the state, leaving the west and north with very few people overall. This would be despite the fact that Minnesota is directly connected to a Great Lake which has often served as a primary driver for population. So why have so many Minnesotans made their home in the Twin Cities and why does the state own a little bump of Canada, more commonly known as the Northwest Angle?

Minnesota Lakes map by David H Montgomery - Pioneer Press

[GeographyByGeoff]

Sorry ya'll! I told you there would be hiccups. Apparently the chat doesn't last that long. 😣 We'll try again next week!

[oldguy]

As a person who lived in Northern Minnesota, you omitted the mining industry. It provided iron ore for the nation's steel industry from the 1890s to the late1970s. Ore was shipped to Duluth, Minnesota, put on ore ships and transported east. Mining operations are still ongoing but on a much smaller scale.

[Ben_M_D]

I am befuddled that the greatest thing about Minnesota's geography was not even mentioned: it has three continental divides, resulting in three different directions of river flow.

[chelseataylor]

I lived in northern Minnesota for a year and man is it beautiful! I’d never seen so many lakes in my life!

[dagsamp]

The "pretty empty" area has a ton of cabins, national forests and state parks. Although not many people live there year round it is heavily utilized by residents.

[MinnesotaSvensk]

I'm a Minnesota Swede who lives in the northern part of the state. I feel truly blessed to have been raised here, and have come to the conclusion it is one of the most unique cultural places in the United States. The vast amount of natural resources and beauty, a shared cultural history between the ethnic groups you mentioned, and the general tight-knit feel of the small rural communities gives one a sense of meaning that so many Americans have likely lost. Our education system is also phenomenal, even in rural Minnesota. We simply produce healthier people in both a mental and physical sense. You'd think that after 4-6 generations of our ancestors coming from the old countries that we'd be infinitely different, but traditions have really hung on here. Foods such as Lefse, Swedish Meatballs, Lutefisk, and pickled herring are still eaten with regularity. Lots of Oktoberfest celebrations. Legions of nordic skiers, ice anglers and general outdoorspeople who live off and with the land. And of course our Ojibwe neighbors who produce the best wild rice and maple syrup. We are everyday people who may not have much money, but have character and integrity. I've been able to venture throughout the U.S and have even lived in Europe, but there is just something special about Minnesota.

[TheRPNs]

In northwestern MN, in January, it rarely gets up to 0 degrees F. Some yeses, we get excited when it’s only 10 below. In the summer, there are literally swarms of mosquitoes, and they are HUGE.

[sarahkelly]

Ojibwe is pronounced oh-JIB-way. The French couldn’t say it which is why we’re also called Chippewa. These are names given by others. We call ourselves Anishinaabe.

[roald]

Not mentioned was Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range "that boosted the national economy, contributed to the Allied victory in World War II, and cultivated a multiethnic regional culture in northeast Minnesota."

[sminthian]

Now, Duluth is the commercial hub of the Midwest. They later built the Soo Locks in Michigan which connected Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean, so international ships could get in there. So if there is any cargo going in or out of the Midwest that needs to go by ship, Duluth is the most inland port to use.

[utzwsoo]

My aunt and cousin lived in northern Minnesota their whole lives. She lived on a lake in a birch tree forest, loons calling, wolves howling, bear hanging out on the porch. Fresh caught fish for breakfast, helpful Mennonite neighbors. And yes, very cold winters.

[drewable]

One interesting geographical fact that you missed is that three major watersheds (Mississippi River, Red River and St Louis River) create a continental divide as they all drain into different oceanic bodies of water. Mississippi to Gulf of Mexico, Red River to Hudson’s Bay and St Louis River to Lake Superior and outward to St Lawrence Seaway. In fact in the town of Brown’s Valley the source of Minnesota River and a source of the Red River are less than three miles apart and when the area floods in spring the flow can change from outgoing water to Hudson’s Bay or Gulf of Mexico. Also, the lowest elevation is at Lake Superior meaning the highest elevation and the lowest elevation are within miles of each other in the same county…and if lakes here were measured in size as they are in Wisconsin we would have over 20, 000 lakes.

[shruggzdastr-facedclown]

About Fargo's relationship with Minnesota, for those either not from Minnesota and North Dakota or not otherwise already familiar due to being geography nerds, Fargo has a sister city across the Red River called Moorhead. In fact, much like the much larger Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul further south in eastern Minnesota, the more modestly-sized neighboring cities to the northwest of the official "Twin Cities" are often hyphenetically-linked as "Fargo-Moorhead" as a regional-identifier, despite being split between two neighboring states

[hollyheikkinen]

As someone who has spent my entire 51+ years on the Iron Range, I am a bit disappointed that mining wasn't really addressed in the video. Plus, St Louis County is the biggest county East of the Mississippi River - and it's bigger than 3 US States! Yes, Duluth is the biggest city up this way, but there are lots of people who live here too - just not as many as the Twin Cities Metro Area (unless you take a census during the weekends in summer). There has been a lot of logging up here as well. There's much more to the non Metro areas than just lakes, rock & trees. The -60°F low air temperature record could've at least gotten a shout-out. 😉 Northern Minnesota does traditionally have crazy cold winter temperatures - but rarely shuts down because of the weather. Lake Superior has a big impact on the region as well.

Both sets of my Finnish great grandparents came to Northeastern Minnesota in the early 1900s (as did several of their siblings/cousins). Their extended family immigrated here to Northeastern Minnesota, to the UP of Michigan & up to Thunder Bay Ontario. My grandparents are first generation Americans. My dad & 2 of his 4 sisters spoke Finnish as their first language & had to learn English to start kindergarten. Grandma's dad owned a logging camp near Ely but they lived in Sparta which is an old mining location that is older than Gilbert. Many family members & neighbors worked in the Sparta mine at the time. I grew up in my grandma's parents house (it was once a school) & my parents owned my grandpa's parents farm up near Cook as a tree farm.

My mom's German dad's family immigrated to the Winona area in the late 1800s. I know much less about the southeast region of Minnesota since I have only been down there a few times when I was young - my grandpa drove his metal wheeled tractor to central Wisconsin as a young man & got married - that's where my mom grew up.

[MarkArness]

Duluth nugget:

During the 20th century, the Port of Duluth was for a time the busiest port in the United States, surpassing even New York City in gross tonnage. As of 1905, Duluth was said to be home to the most millionaires per capita in the United States.

[Devin_Stromgren]

My parents have a cabin up at the NW Angle. It's truly beautiful up there.

[Sir_Seach]

As a Minnesotan, thanks for highlighting our unique state!

[pwk]

During the pandemic, the Northwest Angle was isolated from the rest of Minnesota. Land travel from south Minnesota to the Angle had to pass through Canada, which had strict and onerous border enforcement. In the winter, enterprising Minnesotans created ice highways through Lake Of The Woods and charged fees to use them. These highways allowed the Angle to stay viable during those hard times.

[jmansk]

I live in Thief River Falls, MN I think a lot of people would be surprised by the amount of industry up here and surrounding us. Crystal sugars, DigiKey electronics, Arctic Cat, Polaris, multiple turkey factories, and farmland as far as the eye can see. Pretty in the summer miserable in the winter as far as cold goes. Most people up here are used to it and actually enjoy winter sports, ice fishing and Hockey is everything!

[snorelacks]

I live in Northern MN (Grand Rapids)...it's terrible up here. Nobody should ever come up here....they wouldn't enjoy all this beauty, outdoor recreation, low crime, minimal traffic, etc. so they shouldn't even consider coming up here. Stay far won't like it. :-)