to $35 million in plant updates and expansions. Another major employer is Marvin Windows and Doors, the world’s largest made-to-order window and door manufacturer, headquartered in Warroad, 22 miles to the northeast of Roseau, on the banks of Lake of the Woods. a city. It is also the county seat of sprawling Roseau County in the northwestern part of the state, which, itself, only has a population of about 15,000. And so, this city, county seat, and regional center for business, commerce, and government–because of its size, its relative isolation from any major population centers, its active and engaged citizenry, and its visionary leadership has vigorously leaned into its identity as a unique synthesis of strong village culture, small-town feel, and big-city opportunities and amenities. A UNIQUE COMMUNITY “I always thought Roseau was a very unique community,” says Community Development Coordinator, Todd Peterson. “When I moved here 28 years ago, I didn’t know much about it. I didn’t realize how unique it was to have a community with a vast array of big city-esque attributes but a small-town feel. There are connections that you make in a small-town community that you can’t replicate in a metropolitan area, but Roseau still has the opportunities that you can’t typically find in a small town. So, it’s very different from most small towns in its opportunity, but similar in terms of the connections that are there. It’s special.” Founded in 1895, Roseau was originally a mill town – lumber and grain. It was also a farming community up until 1954, when David Johnson, Edgar and Allan Hetteen created Polaris, today the country’s leader in snowmobile and ATV (all-terrain vehicle) production, and global leader in powersports. “So, Polaris is kind of the foundation of the community; it’s been what’s kept the community growing when most farm communities in the region began to decline,” Peterson explains. “Farms got bigger and communities got smaller and lots of people moved to places where there was a manufacturing base. Roseau was very fortunate to have Polaris.” A MANUFACTURING MECCA Today, Polaris Inc. maintains three-quarters of a million square feet of manufacturing, assembly, research & development, and administrative space within Roseau, employing approximately 1,500 people. Over the past several years, it has put close 43 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 03 ROSEAU, MN
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