Touring Minnetonka in 1879
The grand procession of history tends to swallow up more than it remembers. As it does, it’s typically the average person’s memory that gets left behind in favor of remembering the largest figures and events. Today, we’re going to bring an average person’s experience back into the light.
Esther Palmer Clark moved to Minneapolis in 1868 and spent the rest of her life in the metro area. Her deep passion for documenting her life through stories and diary entries has granted her experiences some permanence in the memories of her descendants. One of her favorite places to visit was Lake Minnetonka and, on June 18, 1879, she would journal about a trip around the lake aboard the steamer Hattie May. The following is a brief excerpt from her time on Minnetonka.
“Soon we see off in the distance a number of large towers looming up beyond the tall tree tops and above them all the Star Spangled Banner waving its welcome and then we all knew that the beautiful point of land was Lake Park [Hotel].(1) We have to sail round this beautiful high point to get to the wharf. The boat was brought around to a nice clean landing and all made a rush to be first on the beautiful picnic grounds that were to be seen at the left on the high point we had just come around. Under the trees were all the conveniences for the party to eat their lunch. Long tables were placed around, forming a large square with good seats where all who wished could place their good things. Then there were other small tables where families could go by themselves and have a good view of the lake. On the right of the landing was the great hotels that stood high up among the trees with broad winding roads in all directions over the park.
The musicians played sweet music which floated around among the tree tops and little children with their gay dresses swinging high in the air. Others with bare feet wading in there clear waters of the lake. Little boys all trying to get away from their Mamas so they could go down and fish. Big boys and girls out in row boats and gentlemen and ladies promenading round the grounds made it like a fairy scene. We stayed in this lovely place an hour and a half then all made a rush for the hotel and soon found the broad promenades were full of people all eager to see this wonderful building that has sprung up so suddenly on the boarders of this lovely lake.
The party now began to assemble on the wharf waiting for the steamer that had gone back to Excelsior for wood. Soon we heard the signal and the boat was seen coming with good speed round the picnic point. Then there was a great rush to be the first on board, for it was understood that some would have to stay at the park, while the rest went to the Upper Lakes. There is a place between the two lakes that is very narrow, just room for the boat to pass through and the water just deep enough to get the boat along. As it goes slowly the bottom of the boat drags on the ground and causes the water to become black with mud. Where the water is deep enough for the boat to move it is very clear. You can see the gravely bed with the little fishes darting about in all directions.(2) About half the party were allowed to go, the others had to stay, but were sadly disappointed although they say they had a good time after all.
Now we reached the Narrows. There is a flat boat directly in our way, how will we get by there is no way, so it has to go ahead. Slowly we move. The boat almost touches the land on each side. On one side is is low and marshy, on the other nice high land with cool shady trees. The water is clear, we can see gravel all over the bottom until the boat goes along and then we look back and see what a change, all black and muddy where it had been disturbed. Now the boat has stopped, all boat hands trying to do their best to move it along. Everybody is leaning over to see what is the matter and all seemed to be wondering what we will do if we can’t get through. The music has stopped and all are silent except those at work. now the water comes from the boilers, goes rushing out from some of the works below with a deafening noise and the boat gives a little spring and we are once more in motion. On we go for half an hour in this manner, what would have taken but a minute had there been no obstructions.
At last we are out in the deep blue lake once more and the boat is going at the rate that makes up for lost time. We pass very many pretty places. Rockwell’s [Shady] Island is one of these. Mr. Rockwell has a long two-story house built for a hotel with a wide piazza that looked so cool and comfortable half hid by the grove of trees that cover the islands. I would liked to have stopped and spent an hour in this quiet place, which was the very next day changed into the greatest commotion by the explosion of the boiler of the May Queen. Captain Rockwell had just stopped at his little landing place to see his family and was just starting out when the boat and all the passengers went flying in the air. The Captain was badly hurt, as well as the passengers. The engineer was so badly hurt and scalded that he died in a few days.(3) And an old lady from Saint Louis lived but a few days after this awful disaster. She was out on a pleasure trip like ourselves and thought no more of danger than our party did as we went merrily by and the music from Hattie May went waving sweetly over to the inhabitants to little islands in the lakes.”
Hattie May, the steamer ridden by Esther Palmer Clark -MNHS
Check back for future excerpts from Esther’s trip to Minnetonka!
Footnotes:
Lake Park Hotel would later be renamed Tonka Bay Hotel, for which it is better known today.
Hull’s Narrows channel was a natural formation joining Upper and Lower lakes. The Narrows Channel used today wasn’t dredged until 1887, several thousand feet north of the original channel.
The late engineer, not named in Clark’s diary, was Mr. N.F. Haines.
Bibliography of Sources:
This article was made in conjunction with Claudia Schuman, great-great granddaughter of Esther Palmer Clark.
Lake Minnetonka’s Historic Hotels, Myer, 1997
Hattie May stereo view - Minnesota Historical Society
All other photos sourced from the Minnetonka Minute private collection
