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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                           (Amendment No.___7______)*

                           NORTHERN TRUST CORPORATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                  COMMON STOCK
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    665859104
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                    12-31-04
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed:

 [X] Rule 13d-1(b)

 [ ] Rule 13d-1(c)

 [ ] Rule 13d-1(d)

--------
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the
Act (however, see the Notes).

                                   Page 1 of 6


CUSIP No. 665859104

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        1.      Names of Reporting Persons. I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above
                persons (entities only).

                (a)    U.S. Trust Corporation*                        13-2927955

                (b)    United States Trust Company of New York        13-5459866

                (c)    U.S. Trust Company, N.A.                       95-4311476

                *U.S. Trust Corporation ("UST"), a Bank Holding Company, is a
                wholly-owned direct subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation
                ("Schwab"), which is a publicly-traded company. Charles Schwab
                Investment Management, Inc. ("CSIM"), which is a wholly-owned
                direct subsidiary of Schwab, files separate Forms 13G. Neither
                UST nor CSIM shares any power with respect to the voting or
                disposition of securities reflected on the other's Forms 13G.
                United States Trust Company of New York, which is a New York
                State-Chartered Bank, is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of
                UST. U.S. Trust Company, N.A., which is a National Bank with
                headquarters in Connecticut, is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary
                of UST.

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        2.      Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See
                Instructions)

                (a)  [ ]

                (b)  [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        3.      SEC Use Only

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        4.      Citizenship or Place of Organization

                (a)    U.S. Trust Corporation
                       (Incorporated in New York)

                (b)    United States Trust Company of New York
                       (Incorporated in New York)

                (c)    U.S. Trust Company, N.A.
                       (National Bank with headquarters in Connecticut)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       5.  Sole Voting Power
      Number                   1,084,114
      of Shares        ---------------------------------------------------------
      Beneficially     6.  Shared Voting Power
      Owned by                 34,700
      Each             ---------------------------------------------------------
      Reporting        7.  Sole Dispositive Power
      Person                   877,378
                       ---------------------------------------------------------
                       8.  Shared Dispositive Power
                               342,494
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        9.      Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

                               1,219,872
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        10.     Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares
                (See Instructions)
                [ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        11.     Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
                               .55%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        12.     Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

                U.S. Trust Corporation (HC)

                United States Trust Company of New York (BK)

                U.S. Trust Company, N.A. (BK)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                   Page 2 of 6



Item 1.

        (a) Name of Issuer
                NORTHERN TRUST CORPORATION

        (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices

                50 LA Salle Sreet, Chicago, IL 60603

Item 2.

        (a) Name of Person Filing

                (a)     U.S. Trust Corporation*                       13-2927955

                (b)     United States Trust Company of New York       13-5459866

                (c)     U.S. Trust Company, N.A.                      95-4311476

        *U.S. Trust Corporation ("UST"), a Bank Holding Company, is a
        wholly-owned direct subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation
        ("Schwab"), which is a publicly-traded company. Charles Schwab
        Investment Management, Inc. ("CSIM"), which is a wholly-owned direct
        subsidiary of Schwab, files separate Forms 13G. Neither UST nor CSIM
        shares any power with respect to the voting or disposition of securities
        reflected on the other's Forms 13G. United States Trust Company of New
        York, which is a New York State-Chartered Bank, is a wholly-owned direct
        subsidiary of UST. U.S. Trust Company, N.A., which is a National Bank
        with headquarters in Connecticut, is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of
        UST.

        (b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence

                114 West 47th Street
                New York, NY  10036-1532

                                   Page 3 of 6



         (c) Citizenship

                (a)    U.S. Trust Corporation (Incorporated in New York)

                (b)    United States Trust Company of New York (Incorporated in
                       New York)

                (c)    U.S. Trust Company, N.A. (National Bank with headquarters
                       in Connecticut)

         (d) Title of Class of Securities

                Common Stock

         (e) CUSIP Number

                665859104

Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Section 240.13d-1(b) or
        240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

        (a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15
                U.S.C. 78o).

        (b) [X] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C.
                78c).

        (c) [ ] Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act
                (15 U.S.C. 78c).

        (d) [ ] Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment
                Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C 80a-8).

        (e) [ ] An investment adviser in accordance with Section  240.13d-1(b)
                (1)(ii)(E);

        (f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with
                Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

        (g) [X] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
                Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

        (h) [ ] A savings associations as defined in section 3(b) of the Federal
                Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

        (i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
                investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
                Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);

        (j) [ ] Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

Item 4. Ownership.

Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage
of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

        (a) Amount beneficially owned: 1,219,872.

        (b) Percent of class:          .55%.

        (c) Number of shares as to which the person has:

             (i)   Sole power to vote or to direct the vote
                                       1,084,114.

             (ii)  Shared power to vote or to direct the vote
                                       34,700.

             (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
                                       877,378.

             (iv)  Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
                                       342,494

Instruction. For computations regarding securities which represent a right to
acquire an underlying security see Sec. 240.13d3(d)(1).

                                   Page 4 of 6



Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof
the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five
percent of the class of securities, check the following [X].

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
        Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company or Control
        Person

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

                (a)     U.S. Trust Corporation*                       13-2927955

                (b)     United States Trust Company of New York       13-5459866

                (c)     U.S. Trust Company, N.A.                      95-4311476

        *U.S. Trust Corporation ("UST"), a Bank Holding Company, is a
        wholly-owned direct subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation
        ("Schwab"), which is a publicly-traded company. Charles Schwab
        Investment Managemwnt, Inc. ("CSIM"), which is a wholly-owned direct
        subsidiary of Schwab, files separate Forms 13G. Neither UST nor CSIM
        shares any power with respect to the voting or disposition of securities
        reflected on the other's Forms 13G. United States Trust Company of New
        York, which is a New York State-Chartered Bank, is a wholly-owned direct
        subsidiary of UST. U.S. Trust Company, N.A., which is a National Bank
        with headquarters in Connecticut, is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of
        UST.

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group

Item 10. Certification

        (a) The following certification shall be included if the statement is
filed pursuant to Section 240.13d-1(b):

                By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
                belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are
                held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired
                and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of
                changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the
                securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection
                with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose
                or effect.

                                   Page 5 of 6



                                    SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.
                                          February 14, 2005
                                -----------------------------------
                                                Date

                                         /s/ MICHAEL J. MURPHY
                                -----------------------------------
                                               Signature

                             Authorized Agent/Senior Vice President
                        ----------------------------------------------------
                                            Name/Title

The original statement shall be signed by each person on whose behalf the
statement is filed or his authorized representative. If the statement is signed
on behalf of a person by his authorized representative other than an executive
officer or general partner of the filing person, evidence of the
representative's authority to sign on behalf of such person shall be filed with
the statement; provided, however, that a power of attorney for this purpose
which is already on file with the Commission may be incorporated by reference.
The name and any title of each person who signs the statement shall be typed or
printed beneath his signature.

NOTE: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five
copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Section 240.13d-7 for other
parties for whom copies are to be sent.

ATTENTION: INTENTIONAL MISSTATEMENTS OR OMISSIONS OF FACT CONSTITUTE FEDERAL
CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS (SEE 18 U.S.C. 1001)

                                   Page 6 of 6