CHICAGO METRO HISTORY FAIR2013 SUMMARY STATEMENT FORM

Please TYPE on sheet or use word processing

ALL PROJECTS: Attach an annotated bibliography. Please divide primary and secondary sources from each other. Two copies of SSF & Annotated Bibliography are required for competitions.

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Title _ Waukegan: Shaped by the Mill ______________________________________________________________________

Student name(s) __Oscar Arias, Topiltzin Gomez, Eduardo Guadarrama, Aaron Isidoro, Joel Navarette ___________________________________________________________

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Project Category: X Group Individual and Exhibit Performance Documentary X Website

Check if applicable (and respond to the 3rdquestion):XThis project uses the 2013 National History Day theme, “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events”

1. THESIS STATEMENT Present the project’s argument or interpretation in two sentences. If you are using the NHD theme, you might want to make it evident in your thesis statement.

Washburn & Moen’s visionary decision to set up a wire mill made Waukegan an industrial center. The mill built and supported a prosperous community. Its shutdown caused the city to become a faltering giant, struggling to reach its former glory.

2. SUMMARY OF PROJECTBriefly explain your project and its conclusion. Include: How and why did change happen and what was the impact? Why is it historically significant? What historical meaning or importance can we learn from your findings?

Our project examined the historical significance of the wire mill in Waukegan. We analyzed its social, economic, and industrial impact. Before the mill, Waukegan was just another Chicago suburb on the shore of Lake Michigan. Once F.H. Daniels and Dr. Edwin Lenox intentionally looked beyond Chicago in an attempt to expand their wire products west, Waukegan enjoyed newfound life. A village that was losing its population to the farms further west was now receiving immigrants from Austria, Finland, Poland, and Slovenia. The change was caused by an international need for wire products. The plant struggled to meet demand and expansion was effortless. Prosperity for the company directly translated to prosperity for the city. The wire mill believed that it had a responsibility to its employees to improve their lives. This belief materialized into employee housing and English language learning programs. From its beginning to its shutdown in 1979, the company played a vital role in upholding the town both economically and

socially.       The historical significance of the plant is immeasurable when considering the number of people the mill directly and indirectly impacted. The mill was an important provider of the barbed wire that helped settle the west as well as the wire products that gave the Allies a technological edge in World War II. On the home front, the wire mill was a source of jobs for an entire city. The prosperity of the North Shore Illinois area could be attributed to the success of plants such as the Waukegan mill.       Our findings bring to light the long-lasting impact a business decision can make. The way the plant created a city is one example of how economics plays a massive role in creating tangible and intangible history. The plant carried industrialization and notoriety to an otherwise unknown suburb. With the plant’s presence, there arose a way of life. In the words of Albert Macknick, “It was a good place to work.” The people united around their workplace and found themselves in the products they made.

3. Required for projects using the National History Day theme only.Explain how this project integrates the NHD theme “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events” into its argument.

Our project integrates the NHD theme very well. Our project is focused on the impact that industrialization and western settlement had on a small city. Waukegan is a perfect model for the nation undergoing the shift from agriculture to factory work. The wire mill also points out the turn from family owned businesses to large corporations and how these corporations built cities in their expansion. Waukegan is a particular example that highlights these shifts that occurred all throughout the nation.

4. PROCESS

A. What historical question did you start off with—and how did it change once you began doing your research?

Our initial question was “How did the loss of industry affect Waukegan?” Once we began researching we saw that our question was too broad and too current to make a true historical analysis. When we were stuck, Mrs. Beverly Millard passionately told us about how Washburn and Moen had to meet the demand for barbed wire out west. With wide eyes she told us about how the company built their wire right on the train tracks so they could ship out wire no matter the weather. From initial interest, we decided to look further into the wire mill. We soon discovered that the wire mill was more significant than we could ever imagine. Not long after, our focus question became “How did the presence of the Waukegan wire mill affect Waukegan socially and economically?

B. What kinds of sources did you use as evidence to develop your argument (for example, letters, photographs, government documents, interviews, etc.)?

Our argument was developed through the use of newspaper clippings, company documents, photographs, books, and artifacts.

C. Select one piece of evidence that you used and explain how it influenced your argument.

Our argument was influenced greatly by Jim Yoggerst’s News Sun Article that featured an interview with Albert J. Macknick. This interview recapped the overall impact that the wire mill had on the Waukegan area. But the special portion of this article involved Al’s extreme loyalty for the company and the memory it embodied. Al discussed how the mill was kind to its workers. He talked about the mill’s generous pension program and medical insurance. The true relationship between mill and employee was highlighted not in Al’s words but in his actions. Al was the gatekeeper in charge of the abandoned mill site after the plant shut down. He salvaged some timbers from the mill and created duck carvings honoring the plant. Knowing the story of the late Albert Macknick opened our desire to look into the social significance the plant had for employees. This article gave a face to a broad topic that spans a century.

D. List libraries (other than school), museums, and other institutions that you visited to do your research.

In doing our research, we visited the Waukegan Historical Society and the Waukegan Public Library.

Works Cited

Primary Sources"Barbed Wire Celebration Wasn't Enough." News-sun 1 Feb. 1992: n. pag. Print. This information

states how Waukegan wire was very popular at that time. Darrow, Ann. "Albert Joseph Macknick." News-Sun [Waukegan] 3 Mar. 2007: n. pag. Print. This

article helped us learn about how Albert Joseph Macknick helped keep the legacy of Waukegan Works alive. It also helped us understand the steel mill's impact on the community

Davis, Marc. "Lake Country Gets the Hang of the Barbed Wire." News-sun 1 Oct. 1995: n. pag. Print. This information talks about why barbed wire was needed during the 1920's especially for farmers.

"Disastrous Fire." Waukegan Gazette n.d.: n. pag. Print. This information talks about the fire that happened at the American Steel and Wire company.

"Growth Of Wire Mill Here Has Been Steady." News-Sun [Waukegan] 6 Aug. 1952: n. pag. Print. This source helped us learn how the wire mill affected the military.

Houston Post 6 July 1895: n. pag. Print. This article helped us learn about how popular Waukegan Barbed Wire was and its impact on the western United States

News-Sun [Waukegan] n.d.: n. pag. Print. This article helped us learn about how the establishment of railroads led to the birth of the Waukegan Works through the arrival of Washburn & Moen in Waukegan.

"Steel Plant Was Flame for Areas Melting Pot." News-sun 30 Aug. 1979: n. pag. Print. This information talks about how the inspection went for the U.S Steel.

"Waukegan Its Past + Present League of Woman Voters." 1967: n. pag. Print. This article helped us learn about how many people were employed by the steel mill.

"Waukegan Steel Plant Open to Pollution Suit." News-Sun [Waukegan] 2 Mar. 1973: n. pag. Print. This article helped us learn about how the steel mill contributed to the pollution of Lake Michigan

Secondary Sources

Goodley, Mary W. The Wire Mill That Changed North Chicago. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 15. Print. We used this information to know how the transportation facilities work in Washburn & Moen. We also used this book to understand the impact of Wasburn & Moen economically through the sale of Waukegan Barbed Wire.

Link, Ed. "Industry: Washburn & Moen, American Steel & Wire, U.S. Steel." Waukegan: A History. Waukegan, IL: Waukegan Historical Society, 2009. N. pag. Print. This book helped us learn about how many people were employed by the steel mill and also about the devastating fire, which caused immense damage.

"Unlocking past at the Old Wire Mill." News-sun 30 July 1988: n. pag. Print. This information talks about the privileges that the workers got at the wire Mill and also how the memory of the company is not forgotten.

"Waukegan Works Whistle." History of Waukegan Works Nov. 1920: n. pag. Print. This information talks about how wire was important for settlers at Waukegan. And also what the population size was at before the Washburn and Moen company came along.

"What the American Steel and Wire Meant to North Chicago." Daily News 21 Dec. 1928: n. pag. Print. This information talks about what the company meant for the community and also what they provided for their workers.

"The Wire Mill That Created North Chicago." 1997: n. pag. Print. This talks about how the company changed Waukegan in a positive way and how it attracted people to migrate there.  

Pictures and Photographs

Various photographs from the Waukegan Historical Society Collection

Picture of the railroad map is from http://www.blackhawknrhs.org/eje.htm

Picture of the B-25 is from http://davflightteam.blogspot.com/

Pictures of the Waukegan Episcopal Church and the Mother of God Roman Catholic Church are from Google Maps.

Pictures of the wooden duck, pin, houses, and the marker were taken by group members.