Habitat was inspired by the prairie landscape and its delicate, subtle details. Its boat form suggests a journey across this timeless landscape, and when seen from the highway, surrounded by a sea of grasses, the sculpture appears like a mirage on the horizon. The boat emerges from the prairie nested in a skeletal framework of metal ribs. Details in the artwork refer to the geology of Minnesota, with bronze castings and fossils of marine life embedded in dolomite stone relating to the ancient seas that once covered the state. The stone was quarried in Winona, Minnesota. Janet Lofquist, a professional artist and native of Glenwood, Minnesota, created the artwork in 1989, and it was commissioned under Minnesota Percent for Art in Public Places.