Goodwill Landing was the first resort in Goodwill Township

St. Louis County, Minnesota, has a history of unorganized territory primarily related to its vast natural resources and sparse population. Unorganized territories are areas not governed by a local municipal government. In St. Louis County, these areas often consist of forests, lakes, and mining regions. The county was established in 1856, and as mining and logging industries developed, unorganized territories were created to manage land use and resources. Today, these areas are often used for recreation and conservation.

Newly organized townships in Minnesota are rare. Kabetogama Township was organized in 2001 and Crane Lake Township was organized on June 18, 2002, both townships located in St. Louis County. Long Lost Lake Township in Clearwater County was organized on November 8, 2005. These were the last formally organized townships in Minnesota until residents of another unorganized territory voted to organize to become Goodwill Township on May 13, 2025.

History of organizing Goodwill Township

Submitted by Margaret Ratai, June 2025

The process began in 2019 by an interested group of property owners in Niles Bay. Informational meetings were held with local road associations and groups during the summer and fall of 2023.

A petition to organize Unorganized Territory 63-17 (UT 63-17) was presented to each registered voter property owner in UT63-17 in 2023 to 2024. The petition with sixty plus signatures to organize UT 63-17 as a township was submitted to the St. Louis County Auditor and County Commissioners in Duluth, Minnesota on May 13, 2024. The St. Louis County Auditor had to wait until after the November, 2024 federal elections to work on the process and call a special election due to MN statutes.

In 2024, the petition to organize UT 63-17 met the St. Louis County Auditor’s Office requirements. The St. Louis County Board of Commissioners passed Resolution No. 24-637 which gave approval for holding a special election on May 13, 2025.

Voting residents in the township were notified by mail from the Ad-hoc Committee of the special election, St. Louis County mail/in person voting procedures, and an informational meeting to be held on April 10, 2025. Questions could be emailed to township6317@gmail.com.

An informational meeting was held at the Lake Vermilion Fire Brigade, 8025 Oak Narrows Road, Cook on April 10, 2025. Maddie Cash, attorney from the Minnesota Township Association and Keith Nelson, SLC Commission, were in attendance to answer questions.

Voting residents of UT63-17 were mailed ballots around April 17th. Ballots were to be returned by mail or in person at the Auditor’s Office in Duluth or Virginia before May 13, 2025. Vote on the question whether congressional township 63-17 should be organized as a town.

Election results: 80 ballots cast - 49 Yes; 31 No

UT63-17 became the first organized St. Louis County township in 20 years.