Remembering Big Moments

Article as seen in Tonka & Skipper Living Magazines. November, 2025 edition.

November has arrived, bringing with it the Thanksgiving season. In our modern world, it’s easy to forget what the celebration is truly about: giving thanks and expressing gratitude for the blessings in our lives. Naturally, it looks different for everyone. For us at The Minnetonka Minute, we give thanks for our community’s deep historical roots.

Placed on the map just before the Civil War, Minnetonka’s story stretches back roughly 175 years. In the grand arc of our nation’s history, we remain a fledgling community, yet in that time we have risen to heights of popularity, recognition, and distinction. I am often asked: how did our community achieve this? What made us who we are today? The answer is neither simple nor singular. We are thankful for the many pieces of that story:

For the Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Manitoba Railway, which brought the first visitors to Wayzata by rail. For Charles Galpin’s 1860 steamboat Governor Ramsey, the first powered vessel to ply these waters. For the 60+ hotels that once lined our shores. For the Twin City Rapid Transit Company, which made Minnetonka accessible to the working man by rail and water in the early 1900s. For Fred Pearce, who opened Excelsior Amusement Park in 1925.

Above all, we’re thankful for two things: first, the land and water of Lake Minnetonka, that special “Queen of All Lakes.” Second, for the generations of community members, past and present, who have made this place home. Each has left their mark, however small, on our shared story. From all of us at The Minnetonka Minute: wishing you a joyful and thankful Thanksgiving season!