Gladstone Community Center

Gladstone was created by the Soo Line Railroad. In early 1887 the plat of Minnewasca was finished and ready to be filed with the county and Secretary of State in Lansing. It was at that time that Senator W. D. Washburn, who had an interest in building the railroad, persuaded that the name be changed to Gladstone in honor of British premier, William... Evert Gladstone. The estimated population of Gladstone in December of 1887 was 1,200 people with 251 buildings erected between July 6 and December 10, 1887 at a value of $425,000. Prior to July 6 there were two buildings erected and occupied. Gladstone was incorporated as a village on October 12, 1887 and on March 5, 1888 was incorporated as a city with an estimated population of 1,800. Saunders Point, so named for Capt. Nate Saunders who headquartered there when fishing at various points along the bay, was the location for the initial build-up of Gladstone. Among the first of the installations at the port was an ore dock 766' long to enable the Soo Line to bring ore from its connection with the Milwaukee and Northern Railroad at Pembine. The dock was used for 12 years before it was struck by a large ore vessel and broke in two in 1900.Read More