North Star Woolen Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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North Star Woolen Mill
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The North Star Blankets sign
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| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Built | 1864 |
| Architect | Pike & Cook/ C. F. Haglin & Sons |
| Part of | Saint Anthony Falls Historic District (ID71000438) |
The North Star Woolen Mill, now known as the North Star Lofts, is an important building in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It used to be a busy factory that made wool products. Today, it has been turned into modern apartments. This building is part of the historic Saint Anthony Falls Historic District.
Contents
The North Star Woolen Mill Story
A Busy Factory in Minneapolis
The North Star Woolen Mill was built in 1864. It was started by W.W. Eastman and Paris Gibson. The mill was located on the west side of the west side canal in Minneapolis. This area was perfect for factories because of the powerful Saint Anthony Falls. The falls provided energy to run the machines.
Making Quality Wool Products
The North Star Woolen Mill made many high-quality items. They produced soft wool blankets, warm scarves, cozy flannels, and strong yarns. Their products were very popular. By 1925, the North Star Woolen Mill became the biggest maker of wool blankets in the entire country.
Hopes for a Textile Industry
Early business leaders in Minneapolis had big dreams. They hoped to create a large textile industry, similar to the famous mills in Lowell, Massachusetts. However, this dream didn't fully come true for most companies. Minneapolis was far from the main markets and shipping centers in the eastern United States. This made it hard to compete.
The North Star Woolen Mill was different. It was a huge success despite these challenges. It remained a very important factory in Minneapolis for many years.
From Mill to Modern Lofts
In 1949, the North Star Woolen Company moved its operations. They relocated their factory to Lima, Ohio. After that, in the 1950s, the building was used as a large public storage space. It was called the North Star Warehouse. This warehouse operated until the late 1970s.
Later, the building sat empty for a while. Then, in 1998 and 1999, it was redeveloped. It was turned into lofts, which are apartments built in old factory or warehouse spaces. The outside of the building still looks much like it did. You can even see the old sign that says "North Star Blankets."
