The ship-building role of Duluth (and its sister port of Superior) in World War II is well known -- and recounted below. But many ships were produced in Duluth as part of the effort in World War I as well.

The McDougall-Duluth Co. shipyard began to build ships for America's allies even before the U.S. entered the war. In all, the company built 36 ships for the war effort, and all the shipyards in Duluth and Superior combined to build 103 military vessels, some of which were completed after the war ended in November 1918.

Diamond Calk Co. (later Diamond Tool) produced entrenching tools and wire cutters during World War I. By the time of World War II, the firm was one of many in Duluth involved in defense production.

Like other communities in the region, Duluth was active in volunteer efforts to produce items for American soldiers in World War I. By fall 1917 the Duluth Red Cross reported shipping thousands of items – clothing, bedding and medical supplies – to troops overseas.

With many men fighting in Europe, women played a nontraditional role in many home-front activities – such as leading Liberty Bond drives – and more-common activities, such as providing social activities for military men and conserving food supplies. The Jewish Relief Fund played an active role in World War I home-front activities.

With the much longer American involvement in World War II the home-front activity in Duluth was much more widespread.

The eight shipyards in Duluth and Superior had produced 276 ships by the time production began to slow in early 1945. Marine Iron and Shipbuilding, Zenith Dredge, Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Barnes-Duluth Shipbuilding, Duluth Industrial Construction (Scott-Graff) and Inland Waterways also produced ships in Duluth. Butler also had a Superior operation and Globe Shipbuilding was located there.