Duluth Works
Open-knowledge reference entry
The Duluth Works was an industrial steel and cement manufacturing complex located in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, in operation from 1916 to 1981. The complex was operated by U.S. Steel. Officially, the plant's purpose was to supply the growing Midwest with steel finished products. Unofficially, they were built as part of a "gentleman's agreement" between U.S. Steel and the State of Minnesota to not impose hefty iron ore taxes on U.S. Steel in exchange for a fully integrated steel plant within Minnesota, whose mines furnished 80% of the ore to U.S. Steel. The combined works of the steel and cement plant were the largest employers in Duluth and the fourth largest industrial complex in Minnesota.
Minnesota Steel Company
In 1907, U.S. Steel agreed to build an integrated steel plant in the vicinity of Duluth, which was 70 miles (110 km) from the largest iron ore source in the United States, the Iron Range. U.S. Steel theorized that by using the Great Lakes, it could haul limestone and coal to Duluth from the lower lakes and return with a load of iron ore from Minnesota. It was thought that by using this process, Duluth would become a great center of manufacturing in the United States.
In June 1907, U.S. Steel incorporated the Minnesota Steel Company, a wholly owned subsidiary, to manage and care for all plans of the future developments of the steel plant. This included building houses for its new employees.
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