HISTORIC MILESTONES OF LOCAL INTEREST
• 1850 – Andrew Peterson immigrated from Sweden and settled in Waconia . Today his famous journals are preserved as an international treasure .
• The early 1860s - The first hotel in Waconia , the Lake House , was built on the corner of Main and Vine streets .
• 1864 - Where Lola ’ s Lakehouse now stands , there stood a lumber mill .
• 1875 - The first brewery in Waconia set up shop just off Clearwater Lake ( now Lake Waconia ).
• 1884 - Lambert Naegle purchased Coney Island for $ 5,200 .
• 1885 - The steamship , Niagara was launched on the lake and served tourists until it was demolished by the tornado of 1904 .
• 1888 - The Coney Island Hotel was built and was known for dancing , boating , fishing , croquet , tennis , and “ amusement .” Room and board cost $ 3.50 per day .
• 1902 - The Boston Ice Company built its first icehouse on the east side of the lake .
• 1904 - The ‘ Waconia Cyclone ’ leaves significant destruction in its path .
• By 1913 , three daily passenger trains were going in and out of Waconia to the Twin Cities .
• From 1903 - 1905 the University of Minnesota ’ s varsity football team used Coney Island as a training facility .
• 1917 - Arthur Mackenthun opened a meat market in Waconia . Today , Mackenthun ’ s is Minnesota ’ s longest-running family grocery .
• 1933 - The Paradise Nite Club opened its doors .
• 1978 - Coney Island is placed on the National Register of Historic Places .
• 2024 - Lake Waconia Regional Park Paradise Commons opened its doors .
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