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A memoir of family, mining pioneers and unscrupulous magnates, and the fight for Minnesota's natural resources In 1855 the Merritt family arrived in Minnesota, where a descendant, Alfred, would one day become one of the "Seven Iron Men" - builders of the first mines to tap the state's great mineral wealth in the Mesabi Range. Another Merritt, more than half a century later, would lead the efforts to protect Lake Superior from damage caused by mining. Iron and Water is Grant J. Merritt's memoir of his life's work on behalf of Minnesota's people and environment and also the story of a significant family in state history.Merritt's family played a key role in the struggle over natural resources in Minnesota - for the enrichment of mining pioneers, the prosperity of the state and its people, and the prospect of a secure and healthy future.