Large Industries in Small Towns: Who Benefits? Working Paper RID 73.9.

The impact of a large manufacturing plant on a small village in "middle America" was explored in this paper. Research was conducted in Illinois using Putnam County as an "experimental" region and Iroquois County as a "control." In the spring of 1966, the Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation began construction of a major production complex at the village of Hennepin in Putnam County. Operation at the "Hennepin Works" began in December 1967. In June 1966, 1,128 household heads in Putnam and 411 heads in Iroquois County were interviewed. In the summer of 1971, 1,029 heads in Putnam County and 377 in Iroquois County were interviewed. Individuals' total yearly income measured economic status. The income of the samples from each region were dichotomized on the basis of age and sex. Findings provided strong empirical support for the hypothesis that the elderly residents and female heads of households receive little direct economic benefit from new industry. (NQ)