An in-depth look at the Norwegian American community ofMinneapolis-St. Paul and its deep and complex role in the economic, political, and cultural life of the Twin Cities over more than 170 years. Since the earliest days of European settlement in theregion, tens of thousands of Norwegians have found their way to Minnesota. Manyearly arrivals settled in the cities, while others who initially chose thecountryside departed for urban settings after they had become accustomed to theways of their adopted home. The growing Twin Cities became home to Norwegianimmigrants and their migrating compatriots alike. These Norwegian Americans took up employment in a range offields. They also assembled in churches and charitable organizations, carrying onhomeland traditions even as they took on prominent roles in the larger urbancommunity. Minnesotans of Norwegian descent in the twenty-first century may notspeak their ancestral tongue, but they lovingly uphold many cultural practicesof their ancestral home. The Heart of the Heartland brings together personalinterviews, demographic research, and archival exploration to inform stories ofassimilation, ascendency, and collaboration among Minnesota's NorwegianAmericans and their neighbors over 170 years. This book is a copublication with the Norwegian American Historical Association.