History / From page 50
History / From page 50
discovered Lake Minnetonka, via the Minnehaha Creek, the only outlet known at that time into Lake Minnetonka.
In 1851, the U. S. government acquired land from the Dakota people through the Treaty of Mendota. The Dakota people considered land around Lake Minnetonka sacred and wanted to keep it for themselves. Several Dakota chiefs refused to sign the treaty, yet Lake Minnetonka was still included in the 2 million-acre acquisition.
Breezy Point in Woodland was known to the Dakota people as Spirit Knob, an especially sacred place, according to historians.
As time went on, Lake Minnetonka became a homestead for people to leave behind the hustle and bustle. The city of Excelsior was established in 1852, just one year after the land acquisition. Soon after, Excelsior’ s first hotel opened and later came both the first steamboat and railroad tracks.
The area continued to grow over time. More hotels opened, including The Hotel St. Louis, Lake Park Hotel and Hotel Lafayette, and steamboats were added. The Lake Minnetonka area became a peaceful getaway from the city and refuge for some of the region’ s wealthiest residents. Many preferred railroad travel as their method of transportation since a commute to Minneapolis was only a 45-minute ride. Steamboats ushered residents to more than 20 locations on its bays. Automobile use eventually superseded railroad and steamboat use.
All of the communities along the lake have a special story to tell. People can visit many spots to acknowledge the past and see how the area has grown.
National Register of Historic Places:
• Excelsior’ s Downtown Commercial District, with buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• Excelsior Elementary School, 261 School Ave., Excelsior, built 1899-1901
• Wyer-Pearce House, 201 Mill St., Excelsior, built circa 1880
• Peter Gideon Farmhouse, 24590 Glen Road, Shorewood, used 1854-1899
• Steamboat Minnehaha, built in 1906
• Great Northern Railroad Depot( Wayzata Depot), 402 E. Lake St., built in 1906
• Charles H. Burwell House, 13209 McGinty Road E., Minnetonka, built in 1883
• Section Foreman House, 738 Lake St. N., Wayzata, built in 1902
Lake Minnetonka Historical Society
The Lake Minnetonka Historical Society tells the story of Lake Minnetonka by collecting, preserving and sharing its history. The society was formed in October 2023 through the consolidation of the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society, the Museum of Lake Minnetonka, the Wayzata Historical Society and the Westonka Historical Society.
The new organization has one of the largest archival and three-dimensional collections of Lake Minnetonka history available in-person and online and maintains research archives in Wayzata, as well as museums in Excelsior, Mound and Wayzata. The society also shares the history of the lake through a variety of public programs and experiences, publishes and sells a number of books about the history of the area and is committed to returning its historic streetcar steamboat Minnehaha to active operation on Lake Minnetonka to continue her life as a floating museum.
Contact the society at info @ lakeminnetonkahistory. org or 952-474-2115.
For more information, visit lakeminnetonkahistory. org.
LAKE MINNETONKA | COMMUNITY GUIDE | 2025 | 51