When Minneapolis shook the world....

Shortly after 7 PM on the night of May 3, 1878, the largest mill in Minneapolis (and also the United States), the Washburn A mill, exploded decimating the Milling district and shattering large plate glass windows in the business district. Just 20 years after the founding of Minneapolis and the acceptance of Minnesota into the Union, the Great Mill Explosion was the first mammoth disaster to challenge the fledging settlement sending shockwaves into futures markets and receiving great notice from the East Coast cities like the New York Times. Minneapolis was just beginning to become the largest flour producer in the world due to its location on the Mississippi River near St. Anthony Falls as well as being close to the immigration hub of Saint Paul. A spark ignited the flour dust in the Washburn A Mill creating a massive explosion that would eventually decimate half of Minneapolis' milling capacity. The resulting fire further spread through the ruins completely decimating the damaged mills and threatening the extensive lumber yards further downriver (Minneapolis was the sawmill capital of the world at this time but it was on the downslope as forests were exhausted). 18 men died in the resulting explosion. Damage estimates put the total losses at over a million and a half in 1878.

Minneapolis would of course recover and supplant Budapest to become the flour milling capital of the world. Many famous brand names of flour companies such as Gold Medal, General Mills (including Pillsbury) and more are from the area

A lovely "depiction" from artists of the time illustrating the Great Mill Explosion