Northeast Michigan Oral History and Historic Photograph Archive

Huron Portland Cement Company

Description

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Slides

Description

The Huron Portland Cement Company was organized on November 22, 1906. This industry gave a tremendous boost to Alpena's economy after the end of the lumber era. It was once the World's Largest Cement Plant. It is now owned by Lafarge North America.

Notes

"It was agreed to build a cement plant in Alpena next to the Michigan Alkali Company's quarry. The name of the plant was to by the Huron Portland Cement Company. The first meeting of record was held on November 22, 1906...AGREEMENT...between J.B. Ford, E.L. Ford, George R. Ford, B.F. Berry, George B. Morley, S.T. Crapo and H.J. Paxton...agree to jointly organize a corporation [and] shall be directors for the purpose of engaging in the manufacture of Portland Cement...H.J. Paxton was quietly sent to Alpena to purchase lad for the plant and to locate a suitable source of clay or shale. On December 13, 1906, 120 acres of land lying between the quarry and the shore were acquired. And Mr. Paxton acquired 120 acres of shale land in Wilson Township. The first meeting of the stockholders we held on January 22, 1907...Capital stock was twelve hundred thousand dollars. The first president...was John B. Ford who served in the capacity from 1906 to 1939...cement production did not actually take place until the spring of 1908. The capacity was 2,000 barrels a day." from "The Town That Wouldn't Die" by Robert Haltiner

Date of Original

c 1910

Dimensions