The history ofcooperatives in the United States extends to pre-independence times.^[1] With the exception ofcredit unions and mutual banking institutions, most cooperatives have held a light footprint on the economic history of the United States, compared to the economies of Europe.

The development of mutual organizations and cooperatives in the United States has a history spanning from the 18th century to the present day, reflecting the evolution of collective economic and social efforts. The 18th century marked the beginning with the establishment of the earliest mutual organization, in theBritish North American colonies in 1735, although it was short-lived due to a devastating fire. ThePhiladelphia Contributionship by Benjamin Franklin in 1752 is the oldest continuing mutual insurance company in the continental United States.

The 19th century saw further development with the formation of the Boston Mechanics' and Laborers' Mutual Benefit Association in 1845, inspired by the BritishRochdale Pioneers. This period set the stage for the expansion of cooperative movements in the United States.

The early 20th century saw a surge in consumer co-ops, especially during theGreat Depression, when the establishment of self-help cooperatives was advocated by figures likeUpton Sinclair and supported byFranklin Roosevelt'sNew Deal. This era underscored the resilience and adaptability of cooperatives, with many surviving to their fiftieth anniversaries and beyond.

In the 21st century, cooperatives continue to play a crucial role in various sectors, includinghealth care reform debates and the establishment of worker cooperatives, in partnership with international cooperatives like theMondragon Corporation. TheNational Cooperative Business Association lists over 29,000 cooperative businesses.

The earliestmutual organization established in the British North American colonies was created in 1735 in Charleston, South Carolina, but was liquidated following a 1740 fire which gutted much of the city's buildings and had left the company unable to recoup the losses. ThePhiladelphia Contributionshipmutual insurance company, founded byBenjamin Franklin in 1752, is the oldest continuing mutual insurance company in the continental United States.

The Boston Mechanics' and Laborers' Mutual Benefit Association was founded in 1845 as a mutual organization styled after the BritishRochdale Pioneers.^[2]

On May 20, 2019, the National Register of Historic Places in the United States, listed two four story sixteen apartment buildings,Alku and Alku Toinen, (Finnish for Beginning and Beginning Second), located at 816 and 826 43rd Street, Kings County Brooklyn New York, as the first two coop buildings in the US, built by Finnish immigrants in 1916, on the National Register of Historic Places. Previously, on March 21, 2019, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation designated both buildings as Historic Sites in New York State. United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Expires 5/31/2012)Alku & Alku Toinen DRAFT Kings County, NY, Name of Property County and State, Sections 9-end page 9

By 1920, there were 2,600 consumer co-ops in the United States – all but eleven were general stores – and 80% were in towns with populations of less than 2,500. Combined sales volume for these stores was about US$260 million.^{[citation needed]}

Upton Sinclair'sEPIC movement became one of the leading proponents for the establishment of self-help cooperatives inCalifornia during theGreat Depression, as was Japanese pacifistToyohiko Kagawa, who advocated for "brotherhood economics" as an alternative tocommunism andfascism on both sides of the Pacific. This advocacy for cooperatives, combined with then-presidentFranklin Roosevelt's New Deal, culminated in the establishment of cooperatives inBerkeley, California, Palo Alto,Eau Claire, Wisconsin,Hanover, New Hampshire,Hyde Park, Chicago (closed January 2008),^[3] andGreenbelt, Maryland. While all these cooperatives lasted to at least their fiftieth anniversaries, theConsumers' Cooperative of Berkeley ultimately closed down, the Eau Claire and Palo Alto cooperatives scaled back their activities, and the Hanover, and Greenbelt^[4] cooperatives have survived to this day.

Credit unions, in particular, were established throughout the United States and have remained one of the most visible and productive legacies of the New Deal period.

In the healthcare reform debate,health insurance cooperatives were, at one point, proposed as an alternative to thepublic option, and indeed in some states were instituted as the ACA became law.

Starting in 2001, several states passed laws for the creation ofLimited cooperative associations (LCA), a type ofmulti-stakeholder cooperative which mixes aspects of cooperatives withlimited liability companies to allow for outside investment.

In 2009, theUnited Steelworkers signed an agreement with theBasque Country-basedMondragon Corporation in order to further the establishment and expansion of unionizedworker cooperatives in North America.

The National Cooperative Business Association identifies over 29,000 cooperative businesses employing more than 2 million people and accounting for over $650 billion in annual revenue.^[5]

• Cooperatives in the United States
• Economic history of the United States
• Cooperative movement
• History of the United States by topic

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