John Dwan Office Building
Encyclopedia
The John Dwan Office Building, located at 201 Waterfront Drive in Two Harbors
, in the U.S.
state of Minnesota
was the location where Dwan, a Two Harbors attorney drew up the incorporation papers for the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (now 3M
) in 1902. The new company’s vision was to mine and process corundum
that the founders believed was plentiful on Lake Superior
's north shore. The company nearly went bankrupt, because the mineral they were mining was useless as an abrasive and the high humidity at Lake Superior wreaked havoc with their adhesive process. Nevertheless, the company survived by receiving financial support from Lucius P. Ordway, moving to Saint Paul
, and changing its focus to manufacturing of abrasives with imported materials.
Two Harbors, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,613 people, 1,636 households, and 953 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,120.7 people per square mile . There were 1,631 housing units at an average density of 505.9 per square mile...
, in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
was the location where Dwan, a Two Harbors attorney drew up the incorporation papers for the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (now 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
) in 1902. The new company’s vision was to mine and process corundum
Corundum
Corundum is a crystalline form of aluminium oxide with traces of iron, titanium and chromium. It is a rock-forming mineral. It is one of the naturally clear transparent materials, but can have different colors when impurities are present. Transparent specimens are used as gems, called ruby if red...
that the founders believed was plentiful on Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
's north shore. The company nearly went bankrupt, because the mineral they were mining was useless as an abrasive and the high humidity at Lake Superior wreaked havoc with their adhesive process. Nevertheless, the company survived by receiving financial support from Lucius P. Ordway, moving to Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
, and changing its focus to manufacturing of abrasives with imported materials.
3M Museum
The attorney's office building remains as the 3M Museum, run by the Lake County Historical Society. Exhibits include the recreated law office, company artifacts and documents, a lab display typical of 3M research and development work, and a hands-on program of technology applications.External links
- 3M Museum - Lake County Historical Society