The Olaf Searle Estate on Big Island

The Olaf Searle House on Big Island in Lake Minnetonka was a striking symbol of ambition, innovation, and eventual decline in Minnesota’s Gilded Age. Here’s a detailed look at its history:

Olaf Searle: From Immigration Agent to Island Magnate

Olaf O. Searle, a Norwegian immigrant, made his mark in the late 19th century as a real estate investor and immigration agent. He co-founded the A.E. Johnson Company, which operated steamers from Scandinavia to the U.S. and had agencies across Minnesota, the Dakotas, and the Pacific coast. 

In the early 1880s, Searle purchased the western half of Big Island from the Morse family. He constructed a 20-room Colonial Revival mansion equipped with gas lighting and steam heat—a lavish estate costing an estimated $250,000 at the time.

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#BigIsland #LakeMinnetonka #Orono

Wawatosa Island

Wawatosa Island—also known historically as Wawatasso or Dunlap Island—is a 34-acre island situated on Lake Minnetonka, just south of Enchanted Island and north of Smithtown Bay. Today, it is managed by the Three Rivers Park District as an undeveloped natural area, popular among boaters and hikers for its informal trails and scenic shoreline.

Indigenous Roots and the Legend of Wawatasso

The island’s name originates from a local legend involving Wawatasso, a young Ojibwe man. According to the tale, Wawatasso saved a Dakota girl from drowning in the lake. Tragically, her father, misinterpreting the situation, shot Wawatasso, who subsequently died on the island. This story reflects the complex interactions between the Ojibwe and Dakota peoples, both of whom have deep historical ties to the Lake Minnetonka region.

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Lake Minnetonka mansion, Minnesota’s most expensive, lists at $55M

Minnesota’s most-expensive home listing just hit the public market with a marketing campaign of equal grandeur.

Pajama-clad tween girls leap from a dozen bunk beds, bound past a grand piano and down a staircase in pursuit of colorful pastries, which they share on a sunny lakeside terrace.

A string of exotic sports cars zip along the driveway, passing a pair of guest house and over a bridge. Well-dressed revelers sip cocktails on yachts, luxuriate in a Himalayan salt cave and bowl on two private lanes. 

These are all scenes from a film at the larger-than-life Lake Minnetonka mansion. Except no one has ever actually lived in the home. The scripted film with actors is just one stop the Realtors selling the property are pulling out in pursuit of closing the most-expensive sale in Minnesota history.

Another: knocking the price down $13 million to a still-staggering $55 million.

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#LakeMinnetonka #Minnesota

New bowfishing program gets complaints over lights

Beginning in late April, permitted anglers could begin bowfishing on select Lake Minnetonka bays at night for the first time in over a decade.

The lake has featured a handful of sponsored daytime events to raise awareness and combat a large common carp population, but a pilot program ranging from April 24 through June 30 represents a significant step for the lake, homeowners, the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, and the Harrisons Bay Association, which heavily pushed for the permit approved by the LMCD.

continue https://www.hometownsource.com/laker_pioneer/community/new-bowfishing-program-gets-complaints-over-lights/article_3044413f-89b1-4570-9b6c-045dffb80d78.html

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Hull’s Narrows on Lake Minnetonka: A Historic Choke Point with Lasting Impact

Hull’s Narrows, also known as the old Narrows. It’s located on County Road 19 a little bit south of the new Narrows, or as it referred to now, The Narrows, on Old Channel Bay.

Back in 1853, Stephen Hull took possession of a couple of lots in Excelsior Township from Joseph McCloud and through the property ran a small stream that up until 1884 was the only connection between the upper and lower lakes, hence, “Hull’s Narrows” was named.

Up until 1873 Hull’s Narrows was described as a mud bottomed swamp and bog, 15 to 20 feet wide with the depth ranging between 18 inches and two feet and very crooked and winding. It was used by dugouts and rowboats, and after 1860, flat bottom steamers, most notably the Governor Ramsey.

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#History #LakeMinnetonka #TonkaBay

The Minnetonka Yacht Club

The Minnetonka Yacht Club (MYC), established in 1882 in Deephaven, Minnesota, stands as one of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States. Situated on Lighthouse Island in St. Louis Bay of Lake Minnetonka, the club has been a central hub for sailing enthusiasts for over a century.

Historical Significance

MYC’s origins trace back to a time when sailing was gaining popularity in the region. The club’s first clubhouse, a pagoda-style structure designed by architect Harry Wild Jones, was constructed in 1890 but was destroyed by fire in 1943. A new clubhouse was subsequently built on the same site and continues to serve members today.

In 1893, co-founder Hazen Burton commissioned the creation of the “Onawa,” the first racing scow, which revolutionized competitive sailing. Initially disqualified for its dominance, the design eventually gained acceptance and influenced sailing worldwide.

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#History #LakeMinnetonka #MinnetonkaYachtClub

St. Alban’s Bay: A Quiet Gem on Lake Minnetonka

St. Alban’s Bay, nestled on the southeastern edge of Lake Minnetonka near Greenwood, Minnesota, is now known for its serene waters and residential charm. However, beneath its tranquil surface lies a compelling history of ambition, adversity, and transformation.

Early Settlement and Ambitions

In the 1850s, the area attracted settlers eager to capitalize on the burgeoning opportunities in Minnesota. John McKenzie was among the first, constructing a substantial log cabin and envisioning a community he named Port Minnetonka. However, during his absence in the winter months, developers seized his claim, took control of his cabin, and laid out plans for a new town. Charles Morris, under dubious circumstances, established the town of St. Albans, naming it after Enos Day’s birthplace in St. Albans, Vermont.

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#Greenwood #History #LakeMinnetonka #StAlbansBay

Six Mile Creek

Six Mile Creek flows into Halsted Bay on the western edge of Lake Minnetonka. It has a rich history intertwined with the region’s early transportation and logging industries.​

🪵 Logging and Water Transport

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Minnesota’s vast forests fueled a booming logging industry. Waterways like Six Mile Creek were essential for transporting logs from remote timber areas to sawmills. The creek’s connection to Lake Minnetonka allowed logs to be floated downstream, eventually reaching larger markets via the lake’s outflow into Minnehaha Creek and the Mississippi River. This method of log transportation was common in Minnesota, where water routes often provided the only access to forested regions.

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Deering Island

Deering Island is a 2.79-acre private island located in the West Arm of Lake Minnetonka, near Spring Park, Minnesota.Named after Captain Charles Deering, who operated the steamboat Florence Deering in the late 1800s, the island holds historical significance in the region’s steamboat era. Continue https://cdrewry.substack.com/p/deering-island

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