On This Date in Minnesota History: January 20

January 20, 1905 – Word was received in St. Paul this evening of the sudden death of William Nettleton, founder of Duluth and West Superior, and a pioneer of St. Paul. According to dispatches Nettleton, who was 83 years old, was walking across the Great Northern Bridge at Spokane, Wash., shortly before noon today and suffered an epileptic attack, falling from the bridge into the river. His body was recovered about 200 yards below the bridge. He is survived by a son and two daughters and his widow, Spokane.  Nettleton was born in Ashtabula, Ohio, in 1822.

In 1853 he and his two brothers went to the headwaters of Lake Superior in a little sailing sloop and established there the townsite of the cities of Duluth and Superior. The following spring he built the first buildings ever erected in Duluth and succeeded in getting the old St. Paul & Duluth railroad to build a terminal there. Nettleton ran a trading store in Duluth for a number of years and had many thrilling experiences with the Indians.

Illustration of William’s brother George Nettleton’s log cabin on
Minnesota Point¹

For 20 years Nettleton made his home in that section. It is stated he gave to all railroads land where they now have their terminals and was largely instrumental in the upbuilding of both cities.

1871 Illustration of Minnesota Point in “Harper’s Bazaar” ²

In 1871 he came to St. Paul, where he ran a dairy farm for many years. He owned an enormous amount of property in the early days, but disposed of it before he went to Spokane in 1893.

Nettleton was twice Minn. State Senator from St. Louis County, but never held other public positions. He bought 200 acres of land and platted Nettleton’s addition to Spokane.

In 1898 Nettleton returned to St. Paul, but he was the only remaining one of the old pioneers and did not care to stay.

The Saint Paul Globe; “A Pioneer Stricken. William Nettleton, Founder of Duluth, Killed in Spokane”; Jan. 21, 1905; p. 2.

¹https://chequamegonhistory.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/1852-george-nettleton-cabin.jpg

²http://zenithcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Duluth_MNPoint_1871_Harpers_ZCP.jpg

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