The Como was one of the streetcar steamboats on LakeMinnetonka. Message says the writer took the Como from the hotel to the island, and that the fishing is so good in this lake that it is not unusual to catch 100 pounds of bass in three hours, postmarked and dated 1907.
The Lakeview Hasty Tasty and a second building at the boat landing in Excelsior advertise Coca Cola and 7 Up, 10 cent hamburgers, Coney Islands, pop or ice cream for a nickel, and cracker jack, plus bathing and picnic grounds, soft drinks and beer. The steam boat Minnetonka is docked at the landing, postmarked 1957.
Three-decked steamer St. Paul steams across LakeMinnetonka with its flags flying, and its side-wheels working, carrying many passengers, color added, dated and postmarked 1908.
The Saint Paul, a ferry boat steamer on LakeMinnetonka, had three decks and a side paddle wheel. In this photo flags are flying from both the bow and stern of the upper, open deck, and every deck is crowded with passengers. The ferries ran from 1906 to 1911.
Steamer Minnehaha plying the waters of LakeMinnetonka, with flags flying, and passengers both inside on the lower deck, and outside on the upper deck, postmarked 1907. Writer describes watching the Chicago Cubs beat Brooklyn 4-3 in Chicago: score at the end of 8th favored Chicago 3-0, end of 9th--3-3, end of 10th--3-3, end of 11th--4-3. "Great doings."
This map of LakeMinnetonka shows the streetcar and the streetcar boat lines and stops, from Groveland in the east to Zumbra Heights in the west. Streetcar stops on the south side of the Lake are Birch Bluff, Excelsior, Christmas Lake, Vine Hill, Pergatory and Glen Lake. Streetcar stops on the east side of the Lake are Deephaven, Northome, Breezy Point, and Groveland. LakeMinnetonka is 20 miles long and four miles wide with a charmingly irregular shore line of over 300 miles. V.O. Hammon trademark is printed on back, postmarked 1909.
Architectural blueprint for the tugboat "Hercules" that was built by the Twin City Rapid Transit Company in 1917. The vessel was scuttled to the bottom of LakeMinnetonka in 1926.
This steamboat seems to have stopped at a dock at the Narrows. This was the scene before the bridge was built across the Narrows. The north side of this channel is in the town of Orono, and the south side is in Tonka Bay. Printed message gives description of LakeMinnetonka, postmarked and dated 1918.
This express steamboat "White Bear" has just passed under the new steel bridge at the Narrows. Its advertising sign says it is an express for Zumbra; this channel connects the Upper Lake to the Lower Lake of LakeMinnetonka; the bridge connects Orono and Tonka Bay, postmarked 1916.
Image of the tugboat, Ella G. Stone, anchored off of the rocky shoreline in Burlington Bay. The Ella G. Stone was the first Duluth and Iron Range Company Tug used to supply workers and materials to build railroads and ore docks in Two Harbors (1883-1896).
Image of people lined up on dock and outside deck of Ossifrage. Large dock owned by the Weiland Family, a prosperous family that owned and operated a lumber company out of Beaver Bay (1860-1883). Steam ships would tie up to the Weiland dock, bringing passengers and supplies to the town.
Large fold-out brochure promoting tours of LakeMinnetonka and Big Island Park via the streetcar company's streetcars and boats, with photos, drawings, maps and text.
Bridge crossed the dry creek bed of Minnehaha Creek after a long dry spell. Writer watched for President Taft to cross the bridge in an auto during his visit to Minneapolis, but missed seeing him, dated November 12, 1909.
Architectural blueprint for the 73 foot Express Boat "Excelsior" that was built and added to the Twin City Rapid Transit Company's LakeMinnetonka steamboat fleet in 1915. The vessel was decommissioned in 1926 and eventually scrapped.
Architectural blueprint for the 73 foot Express Boat "Excelsior" that was built and added to the Twin City Rapid Transit Company's LakeMinnetonka steamboat fleet in 1915. The vessel was decommissioned in 1926 and eventually scrapped.
Architectural blueprint for the proposed but never-built 100 foot Express Boat that would have been part of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company's steamboat fleet on LakeMinnetonka.
Three part set of architectural blueprints for the six original, 70 foot Express Boats built by the Twin City Rapid Transit Company in 1906. Designed by Wayzata boat builder Royal C. Moore, these boats were in service on LakeMinnetonka until 1926. Three of these boats (Como, Minnehaha, and White Bear) were scuttled to the bottom of LakeMinnetonka in 1926, while two others (Harriet and Stillwater) were scrapped. The "Hopkins" was sold and used as an excursion vessel until it was scuttled in 1949. The "Minnehaha" was raised in 1980, restored 1990-1996, and returned to passenger service May 25, 1996.
Image of new steel bridge over Beaver River near Beaver Bay, Minnesota. Completed during the Trunk Highway 1 project, now known as Scenic Highway 61. A second, older bridge appears beneath the new bridge. Grand opening of the highway was celebrated in 1925, construction north of Two Harbors began 1922.