"'Truckport USA': A Target Distribution Center and a Fight in the Midwest"

When Target announced Oconomowoc, Wisconsin as the chosen site for its Midwest Distribution Center in March 1993, conflict flared throughout the area. As one concerned resident exclaimed in the local newspaper, “this once pretty Lakeland, now beset with polluted air and water, might become equally famous—or infamous—as ‘Truckport-U.S.A.,” denouncing the center as an “Asphalt Acropolis.” Hundreds of other local residents shared similar opinions as they organized and attempted to prevent the project through protests, boycotts, and legal action. The opposition also raised sound arguments for classifying distribution centers as a major pollution source. This unexpected challenge not only threatened Target and its major campaign to expand into the Chicago market; the entire retail industry was on edge as powerful retailers confronted several varieties of environmental activism. Historians are well aware that distribution centers comprise the hubs of the global production and consumption network, making them an essential component to the expansion of retail chains during the late twentieth century. But few studies have examined the historical development of distribution centers. Because of their scale and impact, their construction intersects with multiple stakeholders, from nearby property owners to state and local politicians seeking economic development opportunity, to—as most prominently demonstrated in Oconomowoc—individuals prioritizing environmental concerns and quality of life. By exploring these different stakeholders and how Target accommodated their interests while ultimately fending off their challenges, this paper adds to recent studies examining the intersection of environmental and business history.