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The Growth and Decline of the 1890 Plat of St. Louis:
Surveying and Community Development
Northern Pacific Ry‐Lake Superior Division The SW corner of Section 22 T.48N. R.15W. Monument found in field work summer 2007
Looking East on the St. Louis River toward Oliver Bridge from the old Duluth Lumber dock. Our survey project ran between the St. Louis River to the abandoned Northern Pacific RR.
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The Plat of St. Louis project area was west of the Village of Oliver and South of Bear Island. Bear Island is also called Clough Island & Whiteside Island. Village of Oliver platted in 1910.
Current aerial view of the Twin Ports.
1898 Map: The Twin Ports was rapidly growing by 1890.
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Early points of development in the Twin Ports Duluth and St. Louis County Superior and Douglas County • 1856‐Duluth first platted • 1854‐Superior first platted • 1861‐Civil War • 1861‐Civil War • 1870‐L.S.&M RR Duluth‐St. Paul • 1869‐Stone Quarry Fond du lac • 1871‐Construction of Ship Canal • 1871‐Duluth Canal slows economy • 1872‐Fond du lac Stone Quarries • 1878‐Grain Elevators Connors Point • 1873‐Financial crash on economy • 1881‐NPRR to Superior from NP Jct. • 1880‐Duluth Grain Elevators‐GM • 1882‐Superior Roller Flour Mills • 1886‐CMO RR to Duluth • 1882‐NPRR Lake Superior Division • 1885‐NPRR Bridge across River • 1884‐CMO RR to Superior‐Chicago • 1889‐Duluth Imperial Flour Mill • 1885‐NPRR Bridge across River • 1890‐Superior Land Improvement Co. • 1886‐Grassy Point Bridge x Depots • 1890‐Duluth Population 33,000 • 1887‐Land&River Improvement Co • 1891‐D.M.&N. RR ore to Duluth. • 1890‐Superior Population 12,000 • 1893‐Financial crash slows economy • 1892‐D. & W. RR ore to Allouez Docks • 1894‐32 Sawmills in the Twin Ports • 1893‐Financial crash hard on economy
1895 Era: The Railroad and Seaway served local and remote commerce across the Country in the Twin Ports.
The U.S. War Department & Corps of Engineers worked with the local community 1890 War Department Report for Cities & Grand Marais, Two Harbors, Duluth, MN Towns developing around Lake Superior. Superior, Ashland, WI Ontonagon, MI
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Federal support was provided to develop the Lake Superior Harbor & St. Louis River 1890 Report: COE expenditures for 1890 Report: Shipping Receipts of Flour, Harbor Improvement 1871‐1890 Grain, Coal, Etc. in the Twin Ports.
The 1885 NP RR Draw Bridge across St. Louis River: Land Companies invested in developing the Twin Ports.
Letters to Col. Poe, COE expressing St. Louis Land Company & Duluth Land Company interests. The St. Louis Land Company for The New Duluth Land Company for the Wisconsin side of the St. Louis River Minnesota side of the St. Louis River
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St. Louis Land Company letter presents holdings and future plans for Twin Ports.
Major Quinn letter stating current and potential development along the St. Louis River
The USGS Map of project area between St. Louis River and the Great Northern RR
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1891 City of Superior, Douglas County, WI & Vicinity Map
Some history on access to the Duluth & Superior Area and the St. Louis Land Company property on the St. Louis River. • 1855 Federal Grant: Military Road‐Point Douglas to Superior Military Road • 1856 Land Grant from State of Wisconsin for Superior and State Line RR • 1864 Land Grant for the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad • 1870 Cooke’s Lake Superior and Mississippi RR to Duluth, Minnesota • 1872 Local work from Superior to connect with the NPRR junction • 1877 St. Paul and Duluth RR absorbed the default Cooke L.S. & M. RR • 1881 Northern Pacific RR from Superior Union Depot to the Carlton NPRR junction • 1885 Lake Superior Terminal and Transfer Railway along river from Union Depot. • 1885 NPRR Bridge connecting West Superior and Rice’s Point in Duluth. • 1887 NPRR Bridge‐Grassy Point connected West Superior to W. Duluth Jct. • 1888 Musser‐Sauntry Logging, Manufacturing, et al law suit concerning ROW in Section 15 • 1890 St. Louis Land Company incorporated in State of Minnesota • 1890 St. Louis Land Company letter: Name of on site RR as Duluth & Southern • {1890 Duluth Engineering field notes label St. Louis Track‐L.S.T.&T Ry} • {1891 NPRR (partial funds) Wallbridge to Pokegama abandoned 1903} • 1891 Duluth Lumber Co. acquires and operates existing Duluth & Southern RR in St. Louis
The Plat: FIRST DIVISION OF ST. LOUIS was the first plat in a series of plats in 1891 by the St. Louis Land Company.
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There were a number of area Plats surveyed in 1891 with reference to the location of ST. LOUIS.
• The plats: • SECOND DIVISION OF ST. LOUIS. • WALLBRIDGE ADDITION TO ST. LOUIS. • RIVERSIDE ADDITION TO ST. LOUIS. • FIRST ADDITION TO ST. LOUIS. Expanding growth & development surrounding the Cities of Superior & Duluth along the St. Louis River.
What business’s were trying to get established? • The Duluth Lumber Company: Logging, Milling, Railroad, Booming, • The St. Louis Manufacturing: Millwork, Doors, Sashwork, etc. • The Hicks Lock Manufacturing Co.: Locks and Door Hardware, Tools, etc. • The Gemlo Corporation: Boilers, Iron Works, Tools, Fabrication, etc. • Mather’s Steam Brickyard • Mallory’s Sawmill • Duluth Flour Milling • St. Louis Hotel
Real Estate Maps and Land Companies promoted the local businesses and community of St. Louis Cover Page of Roe’s Atlas St. Louis in Roe’s Atlas in Superior
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Roes 1891 Real Estate Map for Superior. 2 Lots for $600
North Part of St. Louis on 1891 Roe’s Atlas Map
Ruins of the St. Louis Company Slip and Flour Mill.
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The 1892 Sanborn Fire Map for St. Louis showing the Lock Factory, Brickyard, Sawmill near the St. Louis River
Corporations and Manufacturers investing with local enterprises in St. Louis in the Town of Superior The Duluth Lumber Company The Hicks Lock Manufacturing Company
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Building Foundation remains of the St. Louis Hotel and the Hicks Lock Manufacturing Building in St. Louis.
The St. Louis Land Company contracted with the Duluth Engineering Company for Survey Work.
• In 2007 I did not know of the 1890 Duluth Engineering Surveys and worked with records only from the Douglas County Surveyors and Northern Pacific RR maps. • In 2015 in a property survey in Riverside Addition to St. Louis I looked at records in the St. Louis County Surveyor’s Office and found Duluth Engineering and DM&IR Records for plats in the Village of Oliver. • A 6”sq. Red Sandstone Monument set at the E¼ Corner of Section 14 in 1890 Flanigan & Snow survey of RIVERSIDE ADDITION TO ST. LOUIS.
The General Land Office 1860 Plat for T. 48 N. R. 15 W.
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Project Sections of the G.L.O. Survey for T. 48 N. R. 15 W. • Township Survey on the West and East Lines by Geo. Stuntz during October, 1853 & June, 1853. • Township Survey on the South Line by A. Stuntz during August, 1856. • Township Subdivision Survey contract on June 30, 1860 and surveyed during November and December, 1860 by U.S. Deputy Surveyor William Daugherty under contract with Warner Lewis, Surveyor General.
The St. Louis Land Company contracted in 1890 with Patton & Frank, Engineers‐Surveyors of Duluth.
Patton and Frank provided survey crews for Civil, Section Retracement, Subdivision, Topographic Surveys.
• Mr. Patton was listed as Manager of the Land Company Camp in Field Book Notes. • There were 3 Main Survey Crews in Notes: • Initial Survey Crew in Survey Notes was Smith, Webster, McClean, Lundgren, Ducharme and Malony‐Company men. • Majority of Survey Work by Crew of Heyse, McClean, Dillenback, Lundgren, and Clark. • Two other Survey Crews were McManus, Humphrey, McPherson, Ekblad and the crew of Silliman, Cook, Clark and Hank. • The Crews covered any survey work assigned: subdivision, topographic, etc.
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Sections 14, 15, 22, & 23 were the focus of Survey work for St. Louis Land Company and began on June 6, 1890. • Mr. Smith, crew chief and party of Webster, McClean, Lundgren began the survey for the St. Louis Land Company on June 6, 1890 at the W¼ Corner of Section 14 and state that 2 BT’s standing. Field Book 30, pp. 1‐5. • They ran a random line east to a hub set at station 53+65.08 near the E¼ corner of Section 14. The random hub was 81.40’ north of the corner. • They found a red sandstone and 2 BT’s down for the corner monument.
The Section Line and Subdivision Surveys were station hubs along random lines with corrections to true line. F.B.30,p23
Paul Heyse, crew chief continued Smith’s work on the west line of Section 14 on June 30, 1890. F.B.30, p 25.
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Although the field notes seem simple to interpret; the field survey work to locate corners generally took a few trips.
• Having good Corners to begin from is important when retracing survey lines. • Reducing the random line distance to true line is shown in the field notes. • Most of the 1890 Section Corners referenced GLO BT’s‐generally described down, stumped off, rotted, and burned. • Only a few corners had Post & Green BT’s. • Stone Monuments were set to replace the Wood Post corners set from GLO ties. • Even with 1890 Survey Notes; Stone Monuments were difficult to find, but better than Wood Posts that rot quickly.
Timeline of Indexed Notes of Field Books 30‐34
The Corner Monuments outlast the Corner Ties 1890 FB33 Sandstone Monuments Set Index. Alphabetical Reference with Corner Ties.
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W¼ Section 15 Certificate of Corner Location W¼ Sec. 15 Sandstone found on Ridge. Almost did not find. Long random distance.
W¼ Sec. 15: Some monuments were found stable as set. Monument was at Top of Ridge. E‐W Random Line Distance was 24’ long.
Certificates of Corner Location tell the short story. Corner Sketch for S¼ Corner Section 15 Corner History for S¼ Corner Section 15
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S¼ Sec. 15: This monument found in place, but no Cedar BT remnants were found near monument. No bearing trees found around monument. Removed moss from S¼ Sec. 15 SS found in place.
A few feet off in computations (and inches) can make for extra field work and not finding the monument. Winter day looking for SE corner Sec. 15 Some extra shoveling helped out this time.
E¼ Sec.22: Found monument leaning on south bank of creek 10’ N. & W. and north edge of old power road. Found SS monument found leaning over. Reset. Reset the SS monument. Summer Picture.
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SE & S¼ Corners Section 22: Found during survey work in subdivision in Section 26 & 27 for Enbridge Pipeline ROW. SS SE Corner Section 22 found in June, 2007. SS S¼ Corner Section 22 found in June, 2007.
SW & W¼ Corners Sec. 22 found in place. SS SW Sec.22 found June, 2007 NW of NPRR. Reset SS at W¼ Sec.22 found in June, 2016 north side old road.
W¼ Corner Section 14 Certificate of Corner Location. The W¼ was pob of 1890 survey field notes .The short history of the W¼ Section 14.
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W¼ Section 14: 1890 Field Survey Point of Beginning The SS was found leaning downslope. Set Rebar at base of SS for corner position.
S¼ Sec. 23 Certificate: Some corners were set twice. Certificate of Corner Location Filed in 2007 Certificate of Corner Location Filed in 2016
S¼ Corner Section 23: 1) Set Lost. 2) Reset to SS monument reference in 1890 Survey Notes. Set 3” Brass Cap in Lost Position in 2007 Did not have 1890 survey notes in 2007.
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Found 1890 SS Monument in 2016 from 1890 record. Did not find this SS in summer 2007 survey. The SS fits well to 1890 Survey Record.
E¼ Section 23: Found 2015 Rebar set Lost and 1890 Sandstone set from GLO evidence. Found 2015 Rebar N77°W 12’ from 1890 SS. 1930 WPA record notes SS 1116’ south of RR
E¼ Sec. 23: Re‐setting SS monument found laying. First find of possible SS in ground. Scraping ground to show monument outline.
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E¼ Sec. 23: Winter work gets creative with chainsaw use. Carving a hole in the dirt to remove SS. Tipped SS upright & dug hole at base.
Setting monument into hole. No wood stake found. View of SS before dropping in hole. Final location before filling hole with dirt.
Old corner ties and bearing trees are usually no longer present. SS ties at the W¼, C¼, & S¼ in Sec.15 Corner tie notes may not always be correct. • The notes on the left are corner ties to Sandstone Monuments set in the 1890 Survey. • The C¼ SS monument was found on (1’) the E‐W ¼ Line of Section 15 on slope. • The center of a creek is 9’ south of SS. • The diagram in notes show North Arrow to sketch as in notation. • Notation says Sandstone was set 9’ west of C¼ post in creek. • The conflict is the creek center is 9’ south, and not east, as shown in sketch. High ground side slope runs east of SS.
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Center Quarter (C¼) Corners of Sections: Measurement vs Theoretical. Are the monuments better than computed positions? SS found laying at C¼ Sec. 23 SS reset at the C¼ Sec. 23.
C¼ corner Sec. 15: Some Monuments are now in unstable conditions. Steep Hillside & Creek. The SS is leaning heavily downslope. The creek & steep slope erosion of bank.
2016 Sec. 22 Work sheet based on 1890 Field Books.
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C¼ corner Sec. 22: Sandstone Monument was found laying at the bottom of this hole about 2’ below water level.
Reset the monument by tipping it upright. The distances between corners N, S, E, & W fit close to the record distances from the 1890 section subdivision.
Some corner monuments are never found‐ Just set. • At many corner locations set during the original GLO survey; one should ask how well were they set? • In a GLO winter time survey; how much snow had to be moved, and was the ground frozen beneath the snow? • In this 1890 survey much of the GLO evidence was already in deteriorated conditions. We trust the surveyors to have shown good reason in their field notes of the field evidence found. • Even the 1890 Sandstone monuments are subject to nature & freezing. Many were found laying on the ground due to frost actions. • Close is probably better than perfect; considering GLO survey distances with those remeasured in 1890 to found GLO evidence. • The equation today is simplified when only GLO survey records exist for reestablishing Section Corners because little or no field evidence is left to find. • But how far do we have to go to find a good GLO corner? And is the good corner one based on GLO evidence or more recent survey evidence‐such as an 1890 era or 1910 era resurvey. •
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SW Section 15: No monument was found here. Lidar Topo Map showing Steep Terrain. Steep Hillside Slump from Hilltop to NW.
N¼ Corner Sec. 14: Interpreted survey notes incorrectly and searched wrong area. Finally found the SS laying 40’ N. Old survey distances may or may not be good. Monument locations are not always good either.
Found a 1”d. Pipe for the E16th on North Line. Double distance from NE to 16th corner is on projection of line extended from S¼ to C¼ corner. Found 1” Pipe top laying and reset pipe top at No 36”d. Cedar Trees around anymore. base of pipe found in place rotted in ground. Found Cedar knot in possible Stump hole.
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NW Corner Sec. 14: No monument found here in slew. In 1911 Re‐Survey monument was found laying in flats. How should this corner be reset or found? Log debris along the river edge 40’ N. & 200’ E. • 1890 Survey called for GLO BT’s. • 1890 distance to ¼ corner S‐2656.44’ • Section line ran South a few times. • GLO distance was 40 chains‐2640’. • 1890 distance to ¼ corner E‐2611.65’ • GLO distance was 39.88 ch.‐2632.10’ • GLO: Two MC’s were set on River Bay. • 1890 distance to ¼ corner W‐2765.32’ • GLO distance was 40 chains‐2640’. • No monument found at N¼ of Sec. 15.
Timeline of Indexed Notes of Field Books 30‐34
The Plat Survey & Monuments Plat Monument line was offset 8’ N. of Plat Sandstone Monument found at Street ROW and 8’ W. of Avenue ROW Cross Street and Fourth Avenue East
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Plat Monument line 8’ west ROW at St. Louis Avenue and on the E‐W ¼ Line near the St. Louis Hotel Monument found from 1890 tie sheet. Silliman Sandstone notes for plat ties to St. Louis Avenue from Field Book No. 33, p. 29. Diagram is not clear as to ties on Hotel Building
SS monument ties were 2 tacks on side of Hotel:5/30/1891 Superior Evening Telegram story St. Louis Hotel: 6/6/1896
Remnant wall of St. Louis Hotel foundation. Hotel was sold for $400 on 1/13/1905 for useable lumber and shipped to Barnum, Minn.
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Plat Sandstone at St. Louis Avenue & Ninth Street. Looking from St. Louis Ave. E. to Monument. Plat 6”sq. Red Sandstone Monument
St. Louis Avenue was the major street in Plat. St. Louis Avenue in the Spring or Fall. St. Louis Avenue in the Summer time.
Plat SS at St. Louis Avenue and Tenth Street laying. Walked over SS a few times on trail before Creek crossing and Old Bridge Timbers at looking for it as part of survey project. St. Louis Avenue and Tenth Street.
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Superior Evening Telegram 9/16/1890 Laying Railroad from Union Station to St. Louis.
Part of the survey was to locate an old RR Grade. Called the L.S.T.&T. Ry. Or the Duluth & Southern Ry. Some of the Bridging was 20’ high along line. Old Pilings were found in a few ravines for C/L.
Duluth & Southern Railroad operation in St. Louis.
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Standing on the bed of the old railroad grade. No luck in finding an old RR Centerline map. The 1890 survey makes calls to RR Stations, but have not found map. The as built RR was engineered well for line & curves.
South part of St. Louis as shown on Roe’s Atlas
1892 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing Depot, Post Office, and Gemlo‐St. Louis Manufacturing Companies.
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Manufacturing was also located along the NPRR. • The Gemlo Company & St. Louis Mfg. Co. Located south of the NPRR and Spur Track. Remnants of the old building foundations and Pilings are still in place from their 1890 era period of business. Gemlo was a Machine Shop and Fabrication. St. Louis Mfg. was a door and sash factory.
Some Additional Notes on the community of St. Louis and the its local business. Old days in St. Louis Where did the business go? • 12/30/1890 Wisconsin‐Minnesota • Bridge was not built across St. Louis Bridge Company to Inc. to build bridge. River from St. Louis to New Duluth. • 5/9/1891 Post Office established. Mr. • 10/11/1899 Post Office discontinued. Pates was Post Master. Post Office papers sent to Lalone,MN. • 1/8/1891 Superior Leader: St. Louis • No closing date found for the 5 acre River Slate‐Brick Co. making bricks. brick yard surveyed in St. Louis.
Project Work Sheet Sections 15 & 22 in T. 48 N. R. 15 W: Imported Lidar Ground Point Data for Contour Mapping. The Lidar Data field checks well with the field GPS data. Although the Lidar generated contour data is accurate and reliable for many purposes; a field survey is also needed when making decisions on GLO field note topography calls. For example: GLO creek calls appear to be at a creek bank sometimes, and in the creek center at others.
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Project Work Sheet Sections 14 & 23 in T. 48 N. R. 15 W:
Being able to compare GLO topo calls whether to a bank or a center of creek seems trivial. But in most corner restoration in remote areas there is not the benefit of an 1890 Survey with Sandstone Monuments. The benefit of Lidar data and field review of such GLO calls can assist in deciding how to interpret the GLO survey when wood corner posts and bearing trees have since rotted away.
We are still working on the north lines of Section 14 and 15 as of today.
Summary of St. Louis Company Survey Work:
August 1911 Survey of Government Lot 4. It took the survey crew 7 days to locate or reestablish the Section Corners along the North Line of Section15. They ran the survey back to the N¼ of Section 14 to get started. They did not find the N¼ corner of Section 14. They found the SS at the NE corner of Section 15 laying and reset monument. They finally found the SS monuments at the N¼ corner of Section 15 and the MC corner. Were still looking for the monuments recovered in this 1911 survey.
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Waiting for a train at the St. Louis Depot (simile) on the Northern Pacific Railroad at St. Louis Avenue.
Saying good bye to St. Louis. A nice place to visit. Northern Pacific RR Conductor at Depot Wolf Tracks on the St. Louis River
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