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North Dakota: The Emptied Prairie

Posted by tetsujin • 1/16/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: nd, North Dakota, state

So lately National Geographic wrote an article about North Dakota called North Dakota, The Emptied Prairie. You can look at it here ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2008-01/emptied-north-dakota/bowden-text-p2....

Either way, it really gives ND a bad name. To the point of making our whole state look like a complete ghost town. Come on, even the title suggests we are a dead little state with nothing to offer. The article was so bad that the Governor actually requested a new one be written.

What are your thoughts on ND do you think we are just a desolate piece of prairie too?

Cameron

User Comments

1/16/08

kdawg68

I've actually longed to visit ND, SD, and Wyoming. I consider them each a beautiful vestige of prestine land. I find that preferable to the concrete jungles we have here.

Little Big Horn in SD is a place I absolutely must get to.

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1/16/08

tetsujin

Thank you, it's nice to hear someone wants to come here.

Cameron

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1/16/08

Anniepooh

I'd hate to have my state written about in that way. I'd love to live somewhere that "empty", though! I'm sick of the east cost and the traffic and elbow-to-elbow lack of space here...I would think ND would be great!

[reply]
1. 1/16/08
  
  tetsujin
  
  Haha, it does have its high points. I really do like it here, just sometimes the lack of people gets to you too, there is no real balance.
  
  Cameron
1/16/08

clioandme

There are people in North Dakota?

Seriously, though, I believe I read about it and maybe some other places having a hard time keeping population. One policy mentioned in the article was in-state tuition rates for students from certain other states. The idea was that students often settle in the area where they study. Or am I thinking about other states?

Seriously though, isn't ND losing population? What about other economic indicators? There's no shame in this kind of thing. Globalization is changing our economy and therefore also the human geography of our country.

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1. 1/16/08
  
  clioandme
  
  This sentence is a bit much though:
  
  "In most of the United States, abandoned buildings are a sign of change and shifting economic opportunities. On the High Plains, they always mean that something in the earth and the sky mutinied against the settlers."
  
  That said, I'll bet the prospect of abandoned towns will attract tourists---and miscreants.
1/16/08

Manictastic

One of the ways to revitalize your small towns and villages is by giving them high-speed internet connections. That's about the only thing the state can do, is give internet to small towns who would normally by ignored by companies because there is not enough profit in it.

Many small villages in Europe are also becoming empty because they lack internet. Internet is like the railway of today.

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1. 1/16/08
  
  clioandme
  
  Interesting. I know recently I've said to myself I could probably live anywhere if I had a good internet connection and the mail came regularly.
1/16/08

artscapes

There are too few places in the world left like ND. I'd love to visit. My husband has and loves it.

I agree about the Internet though. It really affects my choices when I am looking at moving somewhere....

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