Engineering Research Associates (ERA) was incorporated on Dec. 27, 1945. It began as a group that worked on code-breaking for the U.S. Navy during WWII. After the war their leader, William Norris, was
encouraged to set up a commercial firm to continue the work. The result would become what some call “the wellspring of Minnesota’s computer industry.”
The story starts with a classified Navy unit in Washington D. C. that applied electronic solutions to cryptologic problems. After the War, the ERA wanted to enter the private market. They had a hard time
finding financial backing until John E. Parker financed a move to Minnesota. “I believe we will bring to St. Paul some of the outstanding scientific minds in the country,” he stated. Norris said “we picked St. Paul because there was a roof there for us.”
The 1101 Computer, the first commercial model, was designed in a large building at 1902 West Minnehaha Street. ERA lasted only ten years but was responsible for many spin offs. It was purchased in 1951 by Remington Rand, which then merged with Sperry corporation and ERA became the Univac Division of Sperry Rand. Norris and a number of other employees soon left to form Control Data Corporation.
Thank you to Steve Trimble for this post.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up