The Ford Century in Minnesota

The Ford Century in Minnesota PDF Author: Brian McMahon
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780816637195
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In 1903, before the Ford Motor Company was even incorporated, Stephen Tenvoorde signed a contract to sell "Fordmobiles" at his bicycle shop in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Four generations later, the Tenvoorde family still operates what is now the oldest Ford dealership in the world. Brian McMahon chronicles how the fortunes of the company and the state became intertwined during that century. Ford assembled Model T cars in the world's tallest automobile plant in Minneapolis and a three-story structure in St. Paul--both still standing. These factories quickly became functionally obsolete after the development of the moveable assembly line. The hunt for a new site to build a modern, single-story plant stirred intense rivalry between Minneapolis and St. Paul. Henry Ford took a rare personal interest in the search and selected a 125-acre parcel in St. Paul overlooking the recently built High Dam on the Mississippi River, which allowed for navigation and hydroelectric power. The Twin Cities Assembly Plant would go on to manufacture millions of cars, trucks, tractors, and military vehicles until its closure in 2011. Henry Ford's large-scale experiments with every aspect of the industrial economy sent ripples and shockwaves through the lives of Minnesotans--management and assembly line workers, dealers and customers, families and communities. First-person accounts of more than forty retired auto workers share what it was like to work at Ford--from the early years of the Minneapolis plant to the final hours of the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul. McMahon documents the company's transformation--through the Depression, the rise of the United Auto Workers Union, World War II, women joining the workforce, competition from imported cars, globalization, outsourcing, and the closing of the plant. This publication was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Committee.

The Ford Century in Minnesota

The Ford Century in Minnesota PDF Author: Brian McMahon
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780816637195
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
In 1903, before the Ford Motor Company was even incorporated, Stephen Tenvoorde signed a contract to sell "Fordmobiles" at his bicycle shop in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Four generations later, the Tenvoorde family still operates what is now the oldest Ford dealership in the world. Brian McMahon chronicles how the fortunes of the company and the state became intertwined during that century. Ford assembled Model T cars in the world's tallest automobile plant in Minneapolis and a three-story structure in St. Paul--both still standing. These factories quickly became functionally obsolete after the development of the moveable assembly line. The hunt for a new site to build a modern, single-story plant stirred intense rivalry between Minneapolis and St. Paul. Henry Ford took a rare personal interest in the search and selected a 125-acre parcel in St. Paul overlooking the recently built High Dam on the Mississippi River, which allowed for navigation and hydroelectric power. The Twin Cities Assembly Plant would go on to manufacture millions of cars, trucks, tractors, and military vehicles until its closure in 2011. Henry Ford's large-scale experiments with every aspect of the industrial economy sent ripples and shockwaves through the lives of Minnesotans--management and assembly line workers, dealers and customers, families and communities. First-person accounts of more than forty retired auto workers share what it was like to work at Ford--from the early years of the Minneapolis plant to the final hours of the Twin Cities Assembly Plant in St. Paul. McMahon documents the company's transformation--through the Depression, the rise of the United Auto Workers Union, World War II, women joining the workforce, competition from imported cars, globalization, outsourcing, and the closing of the plant. This publication was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Committee.

Hibbing, Minnesota

Hibbing, Minnesota PDF Author: Heather Jo Maki
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738518596
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
Surrounded by large stands of virgin white and red pines, an enterprising iron prospector named Frank Hibbing set up camp on a bitterly cold day in January of 1892. When he awoke the next day, he insisted that there was iron beneath him-he could "feel it in his bones." He staked his claim near that campsite, and after digging several test pits, one of the world's richest deposits of iron ore was found. Beginning as a small collection of tents and log cabins, the Village of Hibbing was incorporated in August of 1893. It became one of the largest of the mining towns along the Mesabi Range, attracting immigrants of many backgrounds such as Finnish, Italian, Slavic, Swedish, and Greek. This mixture of diverse backgrounds gave Hibbing a unique culture that remains evident today. From Minnesota's famous dual in 1910 between friends Sam Kacich and Pete Radovich, to the relocation of the entire village in the 1920s, Hibbing, Minnesota takes us back in time to the days of pioneers, horse-drawn carriages, and a love of the land that has been passed on from generation to generation.

Rochester, Minnesota

Rochester, Minnesota PDF Author: Ted St Mane
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738531502
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
In 1869 The Minnesota Guide summed up Rochester, Minnesota as "a fine business point." Today Rochester is not only a fine business point but also a world-class medical center, a technology town, and a city of such favorable charms and amenities that it has been repeatedly recognized as "the best place to live in America." The story of Rochester's journey from frontier crossroads to international destination is found in Rochester, Minnesota. With nearly 200 photographs and insightful commentary that help preserve the city's rich history, this book is a tribute to the individuals and institutions that gave rise to this classic Midwestern city. The homesteaders of the 19th century, the founders of Rochester's tradition of medical excellence, and many of the enterprises that contributed to Rochester's growth are remembered here.

Spring Grove

Spring Grove PDF Author: Chad Muller
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738519494
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
Spring Grove: Minnesota's First Norwegian Settlement is a tribute to the state's earliest Norwegian emigrants, and to generations of Norwegian Americans who have made this small farming community amongst deep valleys, fjord-like bluffs, and winding streams their true vesterheim. It is a tale told through striking historic photographs, many previously unreleased, and personal narratives, often humorous and always insightful. The area was first settled in the 1850s by pioneers like James Smith, who, inspired by the landscape, named the place Spring Grove. Smith was followed by the likes of "Big" Ole Gulbransgutton, who chased crooked land surveyors out of town with his bare fist; by the innovative Mons Fladager, whose business acumen earned him the title of "Father of Spring Grove"; and by the 20th-century cartoonist Peter J. Rosendahl, whose work gave a comical voice to the challenges of cultural assimilation. Spring Grove: Minnesota's First Norwegian Settlement also conveys the universality of the Norwegian immigrant experience, and anyone with Norwegian roots who desires to learn more about their ancestors will find it an enjoyable read.

Minnesota Twins

Minnesota Twins PDF Author: Dennis Brackin
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group USA
ISBN: 1610602692
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 193

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Book Description
A treasury of Twin Cities baseball history packed with photos from the archives. Major League Baseball came to the Minnesota prairie in the spring of 1961, and ever since, the Minnesota Twins have held a cherished place in the hearts of sports fans throughout the region. With Hall of Famers like Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew, and Kirby Puckett and beloved characters from Billy Martin to Kent Hrbek to Joe Mauer, the history of the Twins encompasses highs and lows, heroes and goats, but always nonstop excitement. Minnesota Twins: The Complete Illustrated History provides an in-depth and entertaining look at the team, its players, its stadiums, and the memorable moments through the years. Illustrated with photos from the Star Tribune’s archives, it is the ultimate celebration of a beloved franchise.

Car Country

Car Country PDF Author: Christopher W. Wells
Publisher: University of Washington Press
ISBN: 0295804475
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 465

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Book Description
For most people in the United States, going almost anywhere begins with reaching for the car keys. This is true, Christopher Wells argues, because the United States is Car Country—a nation dominated by landscapes that are difficult, inconvenient, and often unsafe to navigate by those who are not sitting behind the wheel of a car. The prevalence of car-dependent landscapes seems perfectly natural to us today, but it is, in fact, a relatively new historical development. In Car Country, Wells rejects the idea that the nation's automotive status quo can be explained as a simple byproduct of an ardent love affair with the automobile. Instead, he takes readers on a tour of the evolving American landscape, charting the ways that transportation policies and land-use practices have combined to reshape nearly every element of the built environment around the easy movement of automobiles. Wells untangles the complicated relationships between automobiles and the environment, allowing readers to see the everyday world in a completely new way. The result is a history that is essential for understanding American transportation and land-use issues today. Watch the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48LTKOxxrXQ

Lanesboro, Minnesota

Lanesboro, Minnesota PDF Author: Don Ward
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738520315
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
In 1942, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Sinclair Lewis wrote that the Lanesboro area was "...worthy of Vermont in its sturdy quietude. Through all this district, secret little valleys branch off from the major valleys of the Root River, and there is room enough and view enough for 11,000 poets." Promoted in the late 1860s to east coast investors as an idyllic retreat, Lanesboro was established as a resort community and soon realized an impressive boom due to its unparalleled waterpower. Progressing not as a tourist area, but rather along other avenues of commerce, the community once hailed as the 'biggest little town in southeastern Minnesota' fell off the fast track of growth before its charm could be diminished by too much progress. Today Lanesboro's beautiful 1870s downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the entire city is a haven for the arts-a showcase for the natural beauty that Sinclair Lewis touted more than sixty years ago.

Detroit Lakes

Detroit Lakes PDF Author: Becker County Historical Society
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738584041
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132

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Book Description
Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, was incorporated in 1871 as the village of Detroit. The lush landscape of lakes and rivers created a natural vacation destination and tourism pioneers like John K. West began to market to the newly moneyed industrialists of the Gilded Age.

Preston

Preston PDF Author: Al Mathison
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738532363
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 134

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Book Description
Nestled in a lush valley along the banks of the Root River, Preston, Minnesota, is ideally located at the geographic center of Fillmore County. The earliest settlers found the area rich with everything they needed to build a community: timber, building stone, water power, and fertile soils. By 1860, Preston was a bustling business and government center in the heart of the most populous county in Minnesota. With rare and vintage photographs culled from the collection of the Fillmore County History Center, as well as from the albums and scrapbooks of many local residents, this book brings together nearly 200 images of Preston and its environs.

The Last Kind Word

The Last Kind Word PDF Author: David Housewright
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 125000960X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
Millionaire and unlicensed P.I. Rushmore McKenzie agrees to go undercover to help the ATF track a cache of stolen gunsNafter all, what could possibly go wrong?