Cantwell started out as a flagstop for the alaska railroad and supplied the valdez creek mining area called "denali". prior to its settlements, it was called "Yede'teni'na" by the Tanana Indians and Athabascan Native Alaskans who lived there. it was founded by Oley Nicklie, a native alaskan, and his two brothers when they sought to work with the railroad after the price of fur dropped. cantwell is named after lieutenant j.c. cantwell who was a military explorer and commander of the revenue steamer corwin on the yukon river.