This is the West Duluth plant of the Zenith Furnace Company. West Duluth is a neighborhood of Duluth. Captain August B. Wolvin bought the aging blast furnace at this Fifty-seventh Avenue West location, modernized it and organized Zenith Furnace to operate it. It produced pig iron. It was incorporated in 1902. The plant produced 175 tons of product in 24 hours. In one month in 1916, a record of 310 tons of pig iron was produced in 24 hours. The site covers 80 acres and includes a coal dock. Coal gas, ammonia, and coal tar are by-products. It employed 350 men with a payroll of $35,000 a month in 1916.
Contributing Institution:
University of Minnesota Duluth, Kathryn A. Martin Library, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections