From Mill Ruins Park in Minneapolis to the remains of long-gone mining operations on the Iron Range, Minnesota has experienced its fair share of abandonment. Some of the state’s ruins are a proud testament to a bygone era of Minnesota industry. Others are the sad remains of other people’s misfortunes. This abandoned factory is, perhaps, a mixture of both. Read on to learn about UMore Park, a fascinating World War II-era factory in a Minneapolis suburb:
Just outside of Rosemount Minnesota, a series of long-abandoned buildings rises above a quiet landscape.
Though it is known today as UMore Park, the facility was called Gopher Ordinance Works when it began in the 1945.
It was built to supply gunpowder for use in World War II.
It took up thousands of acres of land, forcing many area families to give up their homes.
However, the factory was not in use for long. The war ended shortly after operations started.
The now empty factory buildings – over 100 in total – sat unused for two years. Then, in 1947, the University of Minnesota took over the deed.
The university began using the buildings for research purposes. Today, UMore Park is used to study medicine, aeronautics, and more.
Visitors are not allowed at UMore Park. The only way to look inside is to view photographs.
But the factory’s impact can still be felt in the surrounding landscape, which never recovered from the evacuation of so many from their houses.
All that remains in the public eye is a series of concrete columns, which frame a grouping of dreary looking buildings.
Still, UMore Park is a fascinating piece of Minnesota history that everyone should know about.
Did you know about this mysterious park? Are you interested in any other Minnesota ruins? Tell us about them in the comments below!
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