ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Public Programs

The Reach of the Rail: All Aboard for the Upper Lake

Monday, December 9, 7:00 pm
Back Channel Brewing Company, Wayzata 4787 Shoreline Dr, Spring Park, MN

While Wayzata and Excelsior’s city centers had the railroad come to them, Mound, Spring Park and Navarre’s business districts were defined by the arrival of the railroad beginning in the late 1800s. 
Dennis Bartholow will describe passenger trains bringing thousands of tourists to the farthest reaches of the lake to visit hotels built to supply the railroad with riders, church groups traveling to picnic grounds to attend massive religious revivals, and residents using the rail to reach their homes. Freight trains accommodated the transportation of everything from lumber to Tonka Toys, keeping the area commercially vibrant and a vital part of Lake Minnetonka’s economy.
​​Space is limited. Free registration is requested.

[Image: The Great Northern Railway in Mound, 1917.]

Register here!

The Great Northern Railway in Mound, 1917. LMHS Collection.

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Venus passengers disembark onto Big Island, 1905. LMHS Collection.

We’re telling the story of Lake Minnetonka by collecting, preserving and sharing its history. You can help us operate our Museums in Excelsior, Mound and Wayzata, our Research Archives in Wayzata, and to return the 1906 streetcar steamboat Minnehaha to the waters of Lake Minnetonka. How? Just click the button below and Give to the Max today!

Click Here to Give to the Max!

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Volunteer with Us!

Wayzata Girls Basketball Team

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Help us form the new Lake Minnetonka Historical Society! Learn about the committees and volunteer opportunities that will drive LMHS and sign up to indulge your interest in Lake Minnetonka history and your community!

Learn More/SigN Up!