History For Sale! Gale Island

Islands
Written By Nathan Hofer

One of Lake Minnetonka's most distinguished islands has hit the market for the second time this century. Gale Island sits off the southern shore of Big Island, toward Excelsior Bay, and carries a history that few casual lakegoers recall. Today, we unravel a portion of that history—its octagonal house, its owners across the generations, and what lies ahead. Let's dive in, or rather, climb up on shore.

Despite sitting front and center among the expanse of Upper Lake, this island played a remarkably small role in Minnetonka history—with one exception. The U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 took place in southwest and south-central Minnesota and had the settlers of Minnetonka fearing for their lives. Following reports that Native warriors were approaching Excelsior, the townspeople crowded onto the lake's only steamboat, the Governor Ramsey, and made for the uninhabited, unowned, and yet unnamed Gale Island. Their plan was to take refuge there, fortify the island, and hope for the best. En route, they were alerted that the warriors had turned away and it was safe to return to town.¹

The true history of the island doesn't begin in earnest until 1871, when it was considered to be among the last properties in Hennepin County available for purchase from the U.S. Government. The man to make that purchase was Harlow Gale, who bought the entire 3.1-acre island for $2.40.² A map produced five years later listed it simply as "Gale's Island," though three years after that, Gale renamed it Brightwood.³ Unfortunately for him, the name never quite gained enough acceptance to stick. In 1874, the family built an octagonal home on the island—one that still stands today, diligently maintained through 150-plus years of changing hands. The Gale family retained ownership for the next 65 years, finally selling in 1937.

Local contractors S.J. Groves & Sons purchased the island in 1948 and managed it well. Under their ownership, the island came close to being renamed, as locals began referring to it as Grove's Island. Ninety-four years after Harlow Gale purchased it for $2.40, Groves placed the island on the market with a remarkable $250,000 price tag.⁴

From there, Gale Island was purchased by Wayzata bachelor Michael Ankeny who, according to the Minnetonka Herald, had intentions to officially rename it. He came from a well-to-do background, having grown up with his parents on Ferndale Road. While Ankeny was quiet about the final sale price, he noted that he paid "more than the $2.43 Harlow A. Gale paid for it back in 1871." He spoke of opening the island to nonprofits and local companies as a reservable picnic spot—a dream he had reportedly held for 20 years. In practice, however, he owned the island for only two years before selling it to St. Olaf College in a donative sale.

St. Olaf wasn't entirely certain how to use the island but kept a full-time groundskeeper on the property. That groundskeeper, Jean Deggendorf, was a Big Island resident well regarded for his knowledge of Lake Minnetonka history. Just six years after acquiring the island, St. Olaf sold it to Robert Naas in 1973.

At the time, Naas was president of Country Club Market and well positioned to take on the Gale Island project. The sale included five buildings, a barbecue house, docks, asphalt pathways, a bridge, and more. Also included was a letter written by Harlow Gale recounting his time on the island—most memorably, a day when the family swam a cow from Gideon Bay to Big Island and finally across to Gale Island, tugging the animal alongside a rowboat the entire way. The summer following their acquisition, the Naas family planned to invite all living former owners and their relatives to the island for a picnic, recording everyone's memories for future preservation. Whether that gathering ever materialized is unclear.

Robert Naas & groundskeeper Jean Deggendorf standing ahead of the Gale Island cottage.

Gale Island is currently owned by Brian Naas, the youngest son of Robert Naas, representing a 53-year legacy that rivals the Gale family's own lengthy tenure. That legacy will soon come to a close. Officially hitting the market on August 12, 2026, with an asking price of $7,250,000, this would be the most expensive island sale ever seen on Lake Minnetonka—and a staggering 3,000,000% increase over Harlow Gale's original $2.40 investment.

The future of one of Minnetonka's most storied islands now hangs in the balance. Only time will tell what comes next!

 

A comprehensive list of all owners of Gale Island:

  • 03/18/1872 — 05/10/1911 Elizabeth & Harlow Gale (39 Years)

  • 05/10/1911 — 06/30/1937 Isabel Gale Tyron (26 Years)

  • 06/30/1937 — 04/14/1945 Lucille A. Austin (8 Years)

  • 04/14/1945 — 07/10/1947 Neil R. Messick (2 Years)

  • 07/10/1947 — 01/13/1948 Louis J. Pilney (5 Months)

  • 01/13/1948 – 11/16/1965 S.J. Groves & Sons Co. (17 Years)

  • 11/16/1965 – 10/12/1967 Michael Hamm Ankeny (2 Years)

  • 10/12/1967 — 09/15/1973 St. Olaf College (6 Years)

  • 09/15/1973 —02/05/2009 Robert L. Naas (35 Years) [5]

  • 02/05/2009 — Present Brian Naas (17 Years)

 

Footnotes:

  1. This is a massive glossing-over of the events during the 1862 uprising. Going into detail here would mean veering off the subject of Gale Island. 
  2. Harlow Gale may purchased the island for either $2.40 OR $2.45. The writing has been heavily blurred on the original documentation and, thus, is hard to perfectly discern. Though, most publications since have cited $2.40 as the “official” price. In 1965, the Minnetonka Herald published the figure as $2.43 but appears to be the only instance where there is a deviation from $2.40 or 2.45. 
  3. Sheldon’s map of 1876
  4. It’s important to note that this is what it was listed for, not necessarily what it sold for. 
  5. The author was unable to ascertain whether or not the island had been sold within the Naas family between Robert and Brian’s ownerships.

Bibliography of Sources:

Nathan Hofer

A lifelong Lake Minnetonka resident and historian, Nathan Hofer is dedicated to community betterment through positive messaging and civic engagement.

https://www.MinnetonkaMinute.org
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