As Minnesota's Cities Grow, Townships Fade Away

In Minnesota, a particular form of government is disappearing. Townships were initially created as a simplified form of local control for rural and sparsely populated areas. With limited civic and government services, townships were organized around small councils of neighbors, but were largely just collections of independent farming families.

But as populations have grown and spread out into these, the need for government services and amenities has made the township way of life increasingly obsolete. These small rural communities are joining up with neighboring towns and cities to pool resources.