History of Industry in Harbor Beach

History of Industry in Harbor Beach. . , The first industry in the area that would become Harbor Beach was groups of "Shingle Weavers" who cut wood shingles from trees that covered the vast undeveloped thumb area of Michigan. , The lumber companies followed to harvest the trees and cut them into lumber to feed the building boom in the developing cities of the Midwest. The first sawmill in the area was built in 1837 at Rock Falls, three miles south of present-day Harbor Beach. Ibe lumber company of Carrington, Woods and Pack of Rock Falls merged with the lumber company of Pack, Jenks and Co of Sand Beach that later became the Jeremiah Jenks Company. , In 1872, as lumbering in the area came to an end, the J. Jenks Co. built a Flour Mill, a brine well, a barrel factory, expanded the dock, a hotel, and increased their mercantile business. The flourmill became Huron Milling in 1902 and sold wheat starch, cornstarch, textile sizing, wallpaper paste, and macaroni nation wide. The company was the largest producer of wheat starch in the nation. , Huron Milling was sold to Hercules Inc. in 1956. Hercules Inc. continued to produce many of the products developed by the Huron Milling Company, such as Monosodium Glutamate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein and Vital Wheat Gluten. , Timeline of the J. Jenks and Company, Huron Milling Company and Huron Milling division of Hercules Incorporated, 1871 - Construction begins on the breakwall enclosing the harbor of refuge. , J. Jenks and Company holdings include 18,000 acres of land, the Sand Beach House Hotel (later renamed Dow House Hotel), a general merchandise store, and a pier extending into the harbor. , 1872 - J. Jenks and Company builds a flourmill. , The company drills a 715-foot salt well and builds a salt block., 1876 - J. Jenks and Company was founded. , Ibe company establishes a 400-acre "Model Farm” with a herd of registered Shorthorn cattle, to demonstrate the lands potential for profitable farming., A 400- per day barrel factory was built. The barrels were necessary to ship the products of the flourmill. , A 25,000 bushel-elevator was built. , 1880 - The flourmill was destroyed by fire. , 1881 , The Sand Beach mill, which was destroyed by a 1880 fire, was rebuilt as the North Star Rolling Mill. At the time, it was one of the most modern facilities in the world. , 1882 - The harbor facilities were improved to include a 1,200-foot pier with railroad tracks to service the ships. , 1886 , The mill was renamed Wheatly Mill. , 1891 , Jeremiah Jenks died. His son George Jenks took over management of the company. , 1893 , In ill health, George Jenks appoints his son, George Jenks in charge of the company. , 1896 , The price of salt dropped due to a depressed economy and the discovery of salt deposits in southern Michigan. J. Jenks and Company discontinues salt production., 1899 , J. Jenks and Company begins manufacturing and selling wheat starch. Sand Beach become Harbor Beach. , 1902 , J. Jenks and Company and Crystal Springs Manufacturing Company, of Watertown, Massachusetts, merge to become Huron Milling, headquartered in Harbor Beach. The new company was the largest manufacturer of wheat starch in the United States. , 1904 , The company begins manufacturing cornstarch. , Early 1900s , Using, gluten, a by-product of the separation of wheat flour process. the company built a plant to produce macaroni. , 1917 , The company donated their general store building to the city to be converted into a community building. , 1920 , Huron Milling Company purchased property at Broad and First Streets establishing the areas first hospital. , 1934 , The Huron Milling Company became the first commercial producer of Monosodium Glutamate, MSG, in the country., The company discovered a use for a by-product of the MSG process. They developed Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, HVP, commonly known as steak sauce and Chinese Soya sauce., 1942 , The employees unionized and the first contract was negotiated., 1943 , War Food Administration requested that production of HVP be more than doubled to provide flavoring for military “C” rations and dry soup. , 1950s , The company was producing MSG, HVP. starch, wallpaper paste, Vital Wheat Gluten (mostly used for Kellogg breakfast cereals), George Jenks, grandson of the founder, steps down and headquarters were moved to Royal Oak, Michigan. , 1956 Huron Milling is sold to Hercules. Incorporated of Wilmington, Delaware., 1957 , The company donates the hospital and funds for improvements to the community. , 1961 , Hercules begins construction on a fermentation plant for the MSG process. , 1965 , Hercules discontinues production of Monosodium Glutamate. The fermentation plant leased to another company. , Early 1970 , A new product, a detergent-grade CMC was introduced. , 1975 , The north side of the plant, including the fermentation plant, was sold to G.D. Searle Company. , 1990 , The plant was sold to Champlain Industries of Canada to produce value-added ingredients from vegetable-protein, yeast, meat, and milk protein. , 1994 , Universal Foods Corporation of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, purchases the plant, naming it Universal Food Red Star Specialty Products Division. , 2000 , The name is changed to Sensient Flavors., 2008 , -The plant is renamed Sensient Bio-Ingredients, a business unit of Sensient Flavors.