Grand Bassa County - History

History

Among the county's notable residents were Joseph James Cheeseman and Anthony Gardiner, presidents of Liberia during the 19th century. The port of Buchanan was constructed by LAMCO to serve the export of iron ore carried through the railway from Nimba. The civil war destroyed the port, railway and the township built by LAMCO. In 2005, LAMCO's facilities were taken over by Arcelor-Mittal (AM), which has begun a gradual reconstruction. The once bustling port is now a ghost town, the only ray of hope being the arrival of Arcelor-Mittal and the consequent prospects of employment. Under terms of a 2005 agreement with the national government, AM will give $1 million each year to the county for iron ore exploitation, though these terms were revised in 2007.

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