Northwest Gas

About Us

The company which now operates as Northwest Gas in northern Minnesota had its origin in the operations of Kanabec Hardware, located in Mora, MN. Kanabec Hardware was established following WWI by Frank Gorham and Kleo McIIhargey and one of their lines was the sale of propane-fired home space heaters and the delivery of propane cylinders to fuel them. These cylinders were filled at a facility in Little Falls cooperatively owned by a group of Our Own Hardware store Owners. Following WWII Bob and Jack Gorham (sons of Frank) returned from the armed services and pursued the continued growth of the propane operation, which now became known as Gorhams’ Gas (“The Company”). Gorhams’, Inc., a Minnesota corporation, was formed to hold the gas operations. Gorhams’, Inc. built its first propane bulk plant in Mora in 1952 and commenced installing propane tanks and making bulk propane deliveries to customers.