The Belle of Minnetonka

Lithographer Louis Glasser, published by Adolph Wittemann Brothers, New York. 1886

What you're looking at is an original 1886 lithograph of the largest ship to ply the lake's waters. This is the Belle of Minnetonka.

Built by James J. Hill and servicing the Ohio River route, the Belle originally went by the name of Phil Sheridan. In 1882, Hill had the Phil Sheridan dismantled and brought to Lake Minnetonka and renamed. The newly christened Belle of Minnetonka was a dual side wheeler paddle ship, measuring an astonishing 300 feet long with a capacity of 2,500 passengers. (Though it would frequently carry up to 3,000). For reference, the Titanic was 882 feet long and carried only about 2,450 passengers.
The Belle was brought to the lake to compete with the slightly older, and smaller, steamer City of Saint Louis to the great dismay of her owners.

The Belle would spend much of her life on Minnetonka ferrying visitors to and from James J. Hill's side venture, Hotel Lafayette until the building was destroyed by fire in 1897. Shortly after, the Belle of Minnetonka would meet her end as well. The ship was brought to Saint Albans Bay, dismantled, and had all her machinery sold off. The hull, being of little value, was given to the natives to use as firewood.

Thus, the Belle withered away like many of Minnetonka's most notorious hotels and steamships; in flames.