The year was 1870 and  the Northern Pacific Railroad had decided to complete the one stretch of track that would connect Duluth to St. Paul, In February, the work began and where once only pines and aspens resided, temporary shacks for the workmen were erected, creating the settlement of “Northern Pacific Junction”.

It is this settlement that in 1881 was officially incorporated by the State of Minnesota as “Carlton”; named after Ruben Carlton, the first Senator in the Minnesota Legislature from this district.