History Note
William Henry Eustis
He gave money, land and his time
by Luther Granquist
In December 1860, when he
was fifteen years old, William Henry Eustis fell at his home in northern
New York State while carrying a pail of water. He hurt his hip, was
kept at home for the next five years, and got no adequate medical
care. Because one leg became shorter than the other, he used crutches
and later a cane. Eustis went on to college, got a law degree from
Columbia, and practiced law in upstate New York.
In his autobiography
he says little about his physical disability, only that when he
chose to move West he wanted a city both “on
the level” and “alive.” He chose Minneapolis,
after rejecting St. Paul, Omaha, and Kansas City because of their
hills. Eustis served as Mayor of Minneapolis from 1893-1895, ran
unsuccessfully for Governor and Congress, and amassed a fortune as
an entrepreneur and investor in various Twin Cities businesses. In
1923, he gave the Minneapolis School Board land for the Michael Dowling
School, which is now an urban environmental magnet school. He also
gave the University of Minnesota more than a million dollars for
a “Minnesota Hospital for Crippled Children.” This is
now part of the University of Minnesota Hospitals complex.
At a dinner in his honor
on his 80th birthday he praised Minneapolis and its founding fathers.
He urged them to pass on to the next generation “the
ardor and lofty purpose of these founders.” Only in passing
did he refer to the purpose of his gift. The city, he said, “abounds
in works of humanity, not the least of which is to help those little
folks, who without fault on their part, suffer from physical limitations.”
Eustis praised the city
fathers too much. The community he extolled failed to provide children
with disabilities the opportunities for schooling and failed to
provide them adequate medical care. He could have called these
community leaders to task rather than smother them with fulsome
praise. Nevertheless, Eustis should not be faulted for his decision
to spend his accumulated fortune as he did. His actions spoke louder
than his words. ![]()
The History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the
Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities,
www.mnddc.org or www.mncdd.org and www.partnersinpolicymaking.com
