history

The Big Island Game Farm brought Minnesota its most iconic game bird, the ring-necked pheasant. Read more about Most of Minnesota's Game Birds Can Be Traced Back to Big Island

The Excelsior Amusement park closed and, in July of 1974, many of the items were auctioned off to the public. Read more about What Happened to the Excelsior Amusement Park Carrousel?

Delivery boats were both a reliable and direct way to deliver goods on Lake Minnetonka, as roads did not exist to all parts of the lake or were often washed out. Read more about Did You Know Lake Minnetonka Once Had Delivery Boats?

A local group's fundraising efforts have brought a wealth of improvements to Big Island. Read more about Big Island Legacy Gives Lake Minnetonka's Most Prominent Landmark a Makeover

The streetcar steamboat Minnehaha is one of the most iconic symbols of Lake Minnetonka’s heritage. Read more about The Story of the Minnehaha, Lake Minnetonka's Streetcar Steamboat

Deephaven filmmaker Louise Woerhle's new documentary tells the remarkable story of her uncle's time in Nazi captivity. Read more about Local Filmmaker Documents Uncle's Incredible WWII Story in 'Stalag Luft III'

Read the lesser known history of one of Lake Minnetonka's most prominent landmarks. Read more about The Forgotten Side of Lake Minnetonka's Big Island

David Bell laid the cornerstone for Excelsior Academy and played a key role in several early Minneapolis institutions. Read more about Meet David Bell, Founding Father of Excelsior and Minneapolis

Martha Long couldn’t believe her eyes as she read the tender words from her stoic grandfather to her vivacious grandmother. Read more about 'I Love You So Deeply': Wayzata Woman Finds Grandparents' 90-Year-Old Love Letters

The ice harvest was an important time on Lake Minnetonka in the early 1900s. Read more about The History of Ice Harvesting on Lake Minnetonka