Brent Peterson: Stillwater's Early Government

Not many cities in Minnesota can boast being as old as Stillwater. It is true that four young men from out east came and laid claim to the area we know as Stillwater and created the Stillwater Lumber Company. From there a village, town and city grew to where Stillwater, 16,000 people strong, stands today.

The progression of a settlement to a town to a city does take a while. In the case of Stillwater it only took 11 years. The area grew so much - so fast - that in early 1854 a bill was introduced into the 5th Minnesota Territorial Legislature to incorporate Stillwater, thus creating its own government with its own local ordinances and laws.

The bill that was introduced was titled, "A Bill for an Act to Incorporate the City of Stillwater, in the County of Washington." It was introduced by William McKusick and first read into the record on Feb. 24, 1854.

In section two of the bill it states that "for the good order and government of said city, it shall be lawful for the male inhabitants thereof having the qualification of electors of member of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Minnesota, and shall have been a bona fide resident within the city of Stillwater for one year, to meet at the Court House in said city, on the first Monday of April next, and at the same time annually thereafter, at such place as the said village council may direct, and then and there proceed by ballot to elect one mayor, one recorder, and three councilmen, being residents of said city, and having qualifications of voters as foresaid, who shall hold their offices one year."

The bill also laid out what the city council could regulate. Some of the items listed in Section 10 are: To regulate butchers and the places where animals may be slaughtered; to regulate the burial of the dead; to regulate the keeping and vending of gunpowder; to prevent horse racing; to regulate the police of said city; to suppress and restrain disorderly houses, and groceries, saloons, houses of ill-fame, gaming tables and to prevent and quell any riot.

So that the city may carry out its functions, the city was also authorized, in Section 11, to "assess a tax" on property within the city.

This bill went through its second reading in both houses of the legislature. It was passed and on March 4, 1854, Minnesota Territorial Governor Willis Gorman signed the bill into law and Stillwater became a city in the Minnesota Territory - the same day as St. Paul.

After Stillwater became a city, elections were to be held. The elections were held according to the recently passed bill, which were held on the first Monday in April. In those elections, John McKusick was elected Stillwater's first Mayor. Dr. Christopher Carli, J.C. York, and J.N. Masterman were elected council members and C.D. Glifillan was elected recorder.

The first City Council meeting in Stillwater was held on Wednesday evening April 12th. At this first meeting the newly elected officers of Stillwater were sworn into office by Harley Curtis, the Justice of the Peace. The five men sat down, took their positions and then moved for adjournment - to meet again the following night. The council met four times in a week laying out rules and ordinances for the new city to follow.

The first council had to deal with many things, such as additions to the city limits, dealing with noise and disorderly behavior, handing out liquor licenses, and with items dealing with the river. Today's city council, although in a different time, still deals with items with the river [bridge], liquor licenses, neighborhood noise and behavior and annexation of land into the city.

Now with nearly 160 years of city government, the City of Stillwater has seen good and bad times, but the 47 individuals that have held the office have always done their best to make sure that Stillwater continues as one of the premier cities in Minnesota and the upper Midwest.

Brent Peterson is the Executive Director for the Washington County Historical Society.