Skip to Content
Opinion

Let’s Continue the ‘Up North’ Discourse on This Friday’s Open Thread

As we do every Friday, we're turning Racket over to you, the readers.

mngeo.state.mn.us|

Fight about it!

Howdy Racket readers, and an emphatic TGIF to you all. My colleague Keith Harris usually tees up these Open Thread prompts, but he's currently enjoying a soggy vacation heatwave in his home state of New Jersey. So I'll be the John Daly (larger, drinks more) to his Rory McIlroy (the best, per Google) and place a conversational catalyst atop this comment-section tee: Let's keep fighting about the geographic boundaries of what constitutes "Up North" in Minnesota.

As you may have seen on Twitter, or possibly at the bottom of yesterday's Flyover, this topic has gained a ton of traction among online squawkers such as me and you...

And as a lifelong Minnesotan, I'll jump right in and say Brainerd is actually kinda the perfect answer—geographically, culturally, Paul Bunyan-ly. Wanna get real nerdy about it? Nearby Lake Mille Lacs is well within the Laurentian Mixed Forest biome which, in the words of the University of Minnesota, is often considered "synonymous with the north woods or boreal forest." (The state's other three biomes are Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Prairie Parkland, and the tiny patch of Tallgrass Aspen Park.)

Now by this biome logic you could make a case for, say, Cambridge, but let's not get crazy. My answer is Brainerd! Brainerd!!! Anyway, I've blathered on enough here. What say you, fellow pedants: At which latitudinal juncture does northern Minnesota really begin?

Or, alternatively, talk about whatever the hell you want. This is your Open Thread, after all.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Racket

Hope Walz Accurately Blasts ‘Bitch-Baby’ Trump, Breaking Right-Wing Brains

Plus an ex-KSTP meteorologist sues, State Fair vendor $ rankings, and bring on Lyndale Avenue reconstruction in today's Flyover news roundup.

Guess What Most of Gov. Walz’s U of M Board of Regents Picks Have in Common…

Plus stinkin' Twins owners remain, more Kathy Cargill drama, and your definitions of Uptown in today's Flyover news roundup.

Two Pages Per Day: How Minneapolis Author Kate DiCamillo Became the Beverly Cleary of Her Generation

DiCamillo published her groundbreaking debut novel, 'Because of Winn-Dixie,' 25 years ago. Today, she’s ready to look back in disbelief on the miracle of her career.

How Screwed is Target?

Plus the Strib goes hardcore for high school sports, Boelter gives a worthless interview, and MN toilets are up for an award in today's Flyover news roundup.

See all posts