Painting of a red barn on a hill overlooking a river

The Duchy of Ionia Article DRAFT PUBLIC Located in the fertile interior plains of the kingdom, Ionia County emerged as a land of small agricultural hamlets, pastures, and apple orchards interspersed between hardwood forests. Its sleepy rural character began to shift with the arrival of the railroad, linking inland towns with coastal ports. Now Ionia exports crops, lumber, and locally milled grain alcohol. A patchwork landscape of wheat fields, grazing lands and managed wood lots characterizes Ionia’s countryside, fed by the meandering Grand River. Farmers across the duchy pasture dairy cattle, raise swine, grow apples, and distill whiskey destined for taverns in cities across the kingdom. Saw and gristmills operate near rustic waterfalls. Once wilderness traversed only by indigenous tribes and itinerant fur trappers, Ionia’s small pioneer settlements grew rapidly following completion of the Ionia-Stanton rail spur. Now bountiful harvests and milled lumber can reach Detroit in less than a day for export. Since then granaries, workshops and cottage industries producing goods for export have sprung up across the duchy. Ruled by the popular Baron Allenson from his manor Hall’s Hill outside Muir village, the newly enriched Ionia retains its provincial sensibility even as rail access expands trade and opportunity. The growing township Portland in particular has some citizens talking of seeking city status.