history

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

Thirty-nine flu cases had been reported in the town in January 1920. Read more about 100 Years Ago, a Flu Outbreak Shut Down Excelsior

Trinity Episcopal Church has a complicated and dramatic history. Read more about Excelsior is Home to Minnesota's Oldest Episcopal Church

Ice boating came to Lake Minnetonka in the 1880s, and is still popular to this day. Read more about The History of Ice Boating on Lake Minnetonka

A.W. Latham was the epitome of the nurserymen who played a large part in Excelsior’s horticultural history. Read more about Meet One of the Pioneers of Excelsior's Horticultural History

The motto for the trail was “A Good Road from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound.” Read more about Part of Yellowstone Trail, Which Once Crossed America, Survives in Excelsior

Minnesota's only two licensed marine archaeologists have made it their mission to study what’s at the bottom of local lakes—including Lake Minnetonka—in order to better understand our past. Read more about What's at the Bottom of Minnesota's Lakes? These Marine Archaeologists Are Finding Out

In 1901, Dr. George LaPaul had a stern-wheel steamboat built bearing his name at a cost of $10,000.

The George launched from the Excelsior docks with a large crowd of over 1,000 spectators. The boat held 800 passengers and was the largest boat on Lake Minnetonka at the time.

In 1908, after various owners and re-namings, the Excelsior was considered antiquated, was decommissioned, and shortly afterward had her engines, boilers and other valuable equipment removed. Read more about In 1909, Thousands Watched a Fiery Funeral for Lake Minnetonka's Largest Boat

Noerenberg Gardens is the former estate of the Grain Belt brewing family. Read more about The Grain Belt Family Farm Lies on Lake Minnetonka's Shores—and You Can Visit It