| Settlement distribution and settlement choice are complex processes influenced by elements such as land availability, economic opportunities, and perceptions. Reasons for settling, remaining, or abandoning a location vary depending upon availability of identified resources and need. People make choices based on their cultural heritage, societal composition, economic situation, and simply for capricious reasons that may or may not be explainable. Not every choice is a rational, logical decision.;Three case study townships, census data, and interviews help explain the complexity of Northern Minnesota, an isolated region with minimal resources and a sparse settlement distribution. A misplaced supposition about rural areas is that most people make a living by farming. While economic choices are limited, there is a great deal of diversity of rural economic activities. Multiple jobs and alternative means of income are common. Clever ways to make a living result in a mixed economic base. Because northern Minnesota is a region of extremes, a singular land use and support by a single venture are out of character. What does exist for this region is an alternative economic structure based on ingenuity and personal choice. The skill of the people and their ability to use marginal resources are the region's primary resources.;Independence and perseverance are common qualities of Northern Minnesotans. Outsiders sometimes find these rugged people to be fiercely independent and stubborn. Regional residents in the three study townships guard their privacy and right to express themselves. While isolation can be desolate, for those who live in Minnesota's Boreal Forest Region, isolation is a positive lifestyle choice. |
