Per Hansa is a stocky, broad-shouldered Norwegian immigrant and former fisherman in his mid-thirties. Possessing boundless energy and ambition, he views the vast Dakota Territory as an open expanse waiting to be claimed and cultivated. He is deeply devoted to his family and resourceful in his labor, though his relentless optimism makes it difficult for him to understand his wife's profound distress.

Beret is Per Hansa's wife, a deeply pious Norwegian immigrant who reluctantly follows her husband to America. Unlike Per Hansa, she perceives the open, treeless plains as an empty void that offers no physical or spiritual shelter. She frequently seeks comfort in an old immigrant chest brought from Norway, which serves as her only tangible connection to her homeland and family.

Hans Olsa is a physically immense and steady Norwegian immigrant who settles near Spring Creek. Cautious and communal, he provides a grounding presence for the other settlers and acts as a dependable bedrock for the fledgling community. He thoughtfully reserves a neighboring quarter-section of land for Per Hansa before his friend even arrives.

Syvert is a garrulous, slightly nervous Norwegian immigrant who has lived in America longer than his companions. He frequently appoints himself an expert on American customs and land laws. Though boastful and occasionally frightened in a crisis, his ability to speak English makes him indispensable for conducting the settlement's official business.

Sörine is Hans Olsa's capable and unflappable wife. She serves as the archetypal pioneer matriarch, radiating a simple authority and nurturing kindness. Her home quickly becomes the social center of the Spring Creek settlement, and she provides essential practical and emotional support to her more vulnerable neighbors.

Kjersti is Syvert's pragmatic and good-hearted wife. While she shares some of Beret's fears regarding the frontier, she directs her anxieties toward concrete threats like storms and wandering animals rather than existential dread. She actively participates in the community and serves as a grounded, stabilizing neighbor despite her inability to have children.

Ole is Per Hansa and Beret's eldest son, a nine-year-old boy who adapts rapidly to life on the frontier. Unburdened by his mother's sense of loss, he views the vast prairie as a place of discovery and enthusiastically participates in his father's efforts to build a farm.

Store-Hans is Per Hansa and Beret's perceptive younger son. He acts as a crucial bridge for the family, interpreting both the physical environment and the English language. He is deeply sensitive to his mother's emotional distress and frequently attempts to comfort her.

And-Ongen is Per Hansa and Beret's toddler daughter. She remains largely sheltered from the immediate physical labor of the settlement, serving as a vital source of comfort and purpose for her mother during periods of intense isolation.

Peder Victorious is Per Hansa and Beret's youngest child. Born during the family's first harsh winter on the Dakota plains, his arrival brings a vital spark of hope to the isolated settlement. His father names him as a bold declaration of triumph over the wilderness, though the name causes deep spiritual anxiety for his mother.

Henry is one of the two American-born Solum brothers who join the Spring Creek settlement. He contributes to the community by helping with supply runs and taking on the role of schoolteacher during the harsh winter months, using storytelling to educate the children since they lack books.

Sam is Henry Solum's brother. He brings a sense of culture to the isolated community, particularly through his singing talent, which becomes a central part of the settlement's winter school and social gatherings.

Torkel is a wealthy, boastful immigrant who joins the settlement after the initial families have established themselves. He openly criticizes the sod dwellings of the early pioneers, though he eventually discovers that money alone cannot buy the communal labor required to build a wooden house on the plains.

Jakob is a grief-stricken pioneer passing through the Spring Creek settlement. His family has suffered immense tragedy on the trail, leaving him desperate to manage his wife's subsequent mental collapse while continuing their journey west.

Kari is Jakob's wife, a pioneer woman who experiences a severe psychological break following the death of her young son. Her condition serves as a terrifying mirror for Beret, illustrating the ultimate psychological toll of the unforgiving prairie.