The White House Stands High

In this article, we’re taking a look at one of the lake’s most memorable hotels. This somewhat rare postcard depicts a scene from around 1909. The White House hotel was built in downtown Excelsior in 1872 at what is now Haskell’s Port of Excelsior. The address here is, uniquely, 1 Water Street.

Originally dubbed the Simpson House after the owner, the name was changed to the White House to avoid confusion with the popular Sampson House located elsewhere on the lake.

The popular destination received an addition around 1886 and again around 1896, giving the hotel a distinctive “L” shape. For another 20 years, the hotel operated as such and was among the most recognizable establishments in Excelsior at the time. Partially due to its prime location near Excelsior Bay. By 1921, the hotel was purchased for $15,000 by the Woman’s Club of Minnetonka. This organization operated it as a “community house”.

Less than a decade later, the property was donated to the Minnesota Sunshine Society which remodeled the entire building into a retirement home. At this point, the old White House hotel had reached its final form. In 1946, the hotel was demolished to make way for newer development. Interestingly, the hill which the hotel was situated on was also removed to create a flatter landscape in downtown Excelsior. In other photos of the hotel, it can be seen that the front porch would be several feet above where ground level is today.