John Dwan Office Building

The John Dwan Office Building, located at 201 Waterfront Drive in Two Harbors, Minnesota, in the United States, was the location where John 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 Pond Ordway, moving to Saint Paul, and changing its focus to manufacturing of abrasives with imported materials.

John Dwan Office Building
The John Dwan Office Building from the southeast
LocationTwo Harbors, Minnesota
Coordinates47°1′15.3″N 91°40′16.5″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1898
NRHP reference No.92000700[1][2]
Added to NRHPJune 11, 1992

3M Museum

The attorney's office building remains as the 3M Museum, run by the Lake County Historical Society.[3] 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.

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "National Register of Historic Places". National Park Service. 2007-10-16. Archived from the original on 2002-06-30.
  3. Bishop, Hugh. "The First 100 Years of a Lake Superior-born Business". 3M. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
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