Quote of the Day

I have this quote framed and hanging on my wall in my den. I found it when I first moved to Duluth. Thought PDD’ers might be interested.

“Sometimes when I become discouraged, I say to myself, I should have gone to another city to seek my fortune. But then I look over these hills and see the natural beauty of our community, I console myself and wonder — where in all the wide world could I find a view like this?” — Samuel Snively

13 Comments

Ruthie

about 13 years ago

Great, great quote ... think I will copy and paste it on my Facebook wall.

markryan

about 13 years ago

This wonderful quote comes from a 1934 News Tribune story regarding the new (and final) segment of Skyline Parkway that was being constructed across the south side of Hawk Ridge. Mayor Snively was showing the reporter the planned route when he spoke these words. The man had vision and definitely loved Duluth.

TopOfTheHillMan

about 13 years ago

Ahh markryan.  Thanks for identifying and qualifying it.  Figured it had to do with the development of Skyline coming from Snively.  Forget where a I origionally came across it. Thanks.

adam

about 13 years ago

Or: nuke the planet and give it to the cockroaches.

hbh1

about 13 years ago

Because it's handy, and you might wonder:

Samuel F. Snively was elected mayor of Duluth in 1921. He was born Nov 24, 1859 in Cumberland PA and died Nov 7 1952 in Duluth. Never married. 

[Following quotes from a little booklet in the library: "Mayors of Duluth," by the St Louis Historical Society researcher Jane E. Sielaff]

"He did not have any children of his own but liked them so much that every year he spent time entertaining orphaned children of the city on a picnic or at the zoo." After graduating from Dickinson College in PA he taught school in the Cumberland Mts. but didn't like it, so decided to go to law school. Went to Philly in 1885 and worked with Benjamin Brewster, a famous lawyer "until the two railroad companies had a rate fight and offered passage to St. Paul for $1. He met a friend there who advised him to go to the head of the lakes. 

"On March 15, 1886 he arrived in Duluth. It was Judge James H Hale of municipal court who got him his first case, a damage suit brought by an early business house by a resident at {unreadable}. He lost the case in the morning but filed a counter claim that afternoon and won. After that cases came easier. In 1898 he ventured away from Duluth and into the Alaska gold fields. He gained a small fortune but he became the victim of crooks and he had to work on a boat to get to Seattle Wash. 

"Upon his return to Duluth he went into real estate and acquired a substantial amount of farm land." Some of that was bought by the NPRR and some sold to several "colonization companies."
 
"With the sale of these he constructed a roadway which is now known as Highway 2. He also obtained interests in land near Mt. Iron. There stands a mine named after him. He also had Snively Blvd constructed in 1901, (now known as Snively Road) but it was not completed until 1931. 

"In the late 1890s he was appointed to the Water Works board. In the 1880s he was a heavy investor in real estate... amassed several fortunes in his lifetime and became known as 'the plunger.' At one time he held a financial interest in the Duluth Herald."  Major accomplishments as mayor: prime developer of our park system. Launched plan to give work to the unemployed. Held office for 16 yrs. and "not once was called dishonest. One of his main desires was to beautify Duluth." When he retired he became the "city's superintendent of boulevards" ... "At times, [he] built these with his own hands and at the age of 83 yrs old was the head of the Park Departments Boulevard Bureau until the age of 88."

TopOfTheHillMan

about 13 years ago

hbh1, thank you for this interesting  background information. Now I know what was at the root of the quote from Mayor Snively.  It gives it more grounding and meaning.  TY

markryan

about 13 years ago

I wrote this last century but I forget that Minnesota History has put this online. If you want to learn all about Sam Snively you can download a pdf of my history about him and Skyline Parkway here:

Snively's Road

bluenewt

about 13 years ago

Fascinating piece and cool photos, Mark.

markryan

about 13 years ago

Thanks, bluenewt

TopOfTheHillMan

about 13 years ago

And a nice article Mark.  Used to get the MN Historical Society magazine and don't any more.  Miss it.  There were always good articles worth noting and may of the N Shore, Duluth, Range area

Ann Klefstad

about 13 years ago

And the view is delicious with a little butter and maple syrup on it.

Laurie Mattson

about 10 years ago

This man is one of my earthly heroes.  I would love to have known him, hiked the many trails and roads with him. I found his great nephew, Douglas Overland, and wrote to him, we corresponded and became friends. The stories he tells about Snively are so interesting, and make me respect the man even more.  That saying above is priceless.

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