Benton Harbor is Whirlpool's hometown

That washer or refrigerator in your house might trace back to Benton Harbor. Whirlpool — the largest home-appliance maker in the world, and the last big appliance company still headquartered in the United States — got its start in the Benton Harbor–St. Joseph area in 1911, when Lou Upton and his uncle Emory opened a small machine shop to build electric clothes washers. More than a century later, the company’s global headquarters are still in the Benton Harbor area, on a large campus along M-63.

Whirlpool and its brands — names like Maytag, KitchenAid, and Amana — are a big part of the local economy and a point of local pride. You’ll see the company’s mark around town, including the Whirlpool Compass Fountain at Silver Beach across the river in St. Joseph.