Lake Minnetonka
Map
Location	Minnesota
Coordinates	44°56′00″N, 93°34′00″WCoordinates: 44°56′00″N, 93°34′00″W
Primary sources	Six Mile Creek
Primary outflows	Minnehaha Creek
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	14,000 acres (57 km²)
Max. depth	113 ft (34 m)
Shore length1	140 mi (230 km)
Surface elevation	929 ft (283 m)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Minnetonka is a 14,000-acre (57 km²) lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Throughout its recorded history, the lake has been a resort destination. It is located west-southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The lake's irregular shape with numerous bays means that it has about 140 miles (230 km) of shoreline.^{[citation needed]} Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Minnehaha Falls Minnehaha Creek is a short tributary of the Mississippi River located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles (35 km). ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... Minnetonka can refer to Places in the US: Minnetonka Cave, Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Idaho Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota Museum of Lake Minnetonka Minnetonka, Minnesota Minnetonka High School Minnetonka Beach, Minnesota Ships: USS Minnetonka (1869)) Category: ... For other uses, see Lake (disambiguation). ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Largest metro area Minneapolis-St. ... Resorts combine a hotel and a variety of recreations, such as swimming pools. ... A map of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. ...

Early history

The first people of European descent known to have visited the lake were two 14-year-old boys from Fort Snelling, Joe Brown and Will Snelling. They found the lake in 1822 by paddling up Minnehaha Creek, though few people visited the lake in the following 30 years. Fort Snelling is a former military fortification located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers in Hennepin County, Minnesota. ... Minnehaha Falls Minnehaha Creek is a short tributary of the Mississippi River located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles (35 km). ...

In 1852, the lake was given its name by Minnesota's territorial governor Alexander Ramsey. He had been told that American Indians in the area used a phrase sounding like minn-ni-tanka, meaning “big water,” to refer to the lake. The same year, the first settlements were constructed around it, and in 1853, the first hotel was built. For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Alexander Ramsey (September 8, 1815 – April 22, 1903) was an American politician. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, United States, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... For other uses, see Hotel (disambiguation). ...

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the epic poem The Song of Hiawatha in 1855, which referred to Minnesota and landmarks of the area such as Minnehaha Falls. This gave the area national interest. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet whose works include Paul Reveres Ride, A Psalm of Life, The Song of Hiawatha and Evangeline. He also wrote the first American translation of Dante Alighieris Divine Comedy and was one of the five members... In mathematics, see epic morphism. ... Statue of Hiawatha carrying Minnehaha at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ... Minnehaha Falls Minnehaha Creek is a short tributary of the Mississippi River located in Hennepin County, Minnesota that extends from Lake Minnetonka in the west and flows east for 22 miles (35 km). ...

1861 saw the introduction of steamboats; the first one was the Governor Ramsey, named to honor the man who named the lake. Following the Civil War, a rail line operated by St. Paul & Pacific Co. connected to the area in 1867. For other uses, see Steamboat (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ...

The first inland steamboat to have electric lights, the City of St. Louis, was built in Wayzata in 1881. The next year, the largest ship to ever sail the lake was launched; the Belle of Minnetonka was 300 feet long and could carry 2500 passengers. The 1880s marked the steamboats' heyday as tourist destinations. By 1892, the Belle stayed moored at her dock all summer long. Most of the industrialized world is lit by electric lights, which are used both at night and to provide additional light during the daytime. ... Location in Hennepin County Coordinates: , Country State County Hennepin County Founded 1850s Incorporated 1883 Government  - Mayor Andrew Humphrey Area  - City 3. ... This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ...

20th century

In 1905, Twin City Rapid Transit first connected streetcar lines to the lake. This marked a golden age for the lake, with more rapid growth as TCRT added more resorts to the area and launched their “streetcar boats.” Actually named Express Boats, they were steamboats that shared the appearance of streetcars. At first six, and then seven, such boats would take arriving streetcar passengers and steam them to over twenty different endpoints on the lake. For a time, one destination was the Big Island Amusement Park, about the same size as today's Valleyfair, but it only lasted about five years before it was shut down. Later, Excelsior Amusement Park had greater success, with seasonal operations running from 1925 through 1973. The Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT), also known as Twin City Lines (TCL), was a business that primarily operated streetcars, and buses in the area of Minneapolis-St. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Big Island Amusement Park was a popular tourist destination in the late 1800s and early 1900s. ... Valleyfair is a 125 acre (0. ... Excelsior Amusement Park was an amusement park located on the shore of Lake Minnetonka in Excelsior, Minnesota. ...

Crane Island, on the western side of the lake, was organized as a summer cottage retreat in 1907. The Crane Island Association platted a number of lots on the shores of the island and dedicated a commons area in the center of the island. The island had originally been a heron rookery until a storm blew down most of the trees in the center of the island in 1906. The island is now a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[1] For other uses, see Heron (disambiguation). ... A sea lion rookery at Monterey, California Birds A rookery is a nesting colony of birds. ... A historic district in the United States is a group of buildings, properties or sites that have been designated by one of several entites on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. ... A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ...

President William Howard Taft made Lake Minnetonka his summer home in 1911, but business in the area had started going down again by that time. In 1926, most of the Express Boats were scuttled in deep water near the lake's Big Island. On October 26 of the same year, architect Frank Lloyd Wright was arrested for violating the Mann Act while vacationing at a cottage near the lake with a woman who would later become his wife. Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... For other persons named William Howard Taft, see William Howard Taft (disambiguation). ... German battlecruiser Derfflinger scuttled at Scapa Flow. ... is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, interior designer, writer, educator, and philosopher who designed more than 1,000 projects, of which more than 500 resulted in completed works. ... The United States White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910 prohibited so-called white slavery. ...

In 1946, Mound Metalcraft was created in Mound, Minnesota, a town along the northwestern end of the lake (an area known as "Westonka"), and later changed their name to Tonka Toys. Mound is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. ... Westonka is a portmanteau of west and Minnetonka, referring to the west third of Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota, roughly 25 miles west of Minneapolis. ... For the rocket fuel, see Tonka (fuel). ...

Express Boat Hopkins on Lake Minnetonka in the early 20th century

As the century drew on, many visitors came, although some were unwanted. Environmental concerns started to become important after Curled Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus L.) was discovered in 1900. Following decades brought Purple Loosestrife in 1940 and Eurasian Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) in 1987. The lake also experienced problems with pollution, both from sewage and fertilizer runoff. Lake Minnetonka is now closely monitored. Twin City Rapid Transit streetboat Hopkins from early 20th century (1900s to 1920s), believed to be public domain. ... Twin City Rapid Transit streetboat Hopkins from early 20th century (1900s to 1920s), believed to be public domain. ... In politics and other non-technical contexts, nature or (the) (natural) environment often refers to that part of the natural world that people deem important or valuable, for any reason — economic, aesthetic, philosophical, hedonistic, sentimental, etc. ... Binomial name Lythrum salicaria L. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lythrum salicaria Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a semi-aquatic herbaceous plant belonging to the loosestrife family, Lythraceae, native to the wetlands of Eurasia. ... Species See text Myriophyllum (water milfoil) is a genus of about 45 species of freshwater aquatic plants, with a cosmopolitan distribution. ... Air pollution Pollution is the introduction of pollutants (whether chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat, or light) into the environment to such a point that its effects become harmful to human health, other living organisms, or the environment. ... Sewage is the mainly liquid waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists of washing water, faeces, urine, laundry waste and other material which goes down drains and toilets from households and industry. ... Spreading manure, an organic fertilizer Fertilizers (also spelled fertilisers) are compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either through the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves. ... Run-off or runoff may refer to one of the following. ...

Even with the troubles, the lake remained a fairly popular destination, with tourist boats from one company or another still operating in the warmer months. One of the old streetcar boats that had been scuttled in 1926, the Minnehaha, was even raised to the surface in 1980 so it could be restored. After many years of volunteer restorative work, it returned to limited service on the lake in 1996 as an exhibit of the Minnesota Transportation Museum, now part of the Museum of Lake Minnetonka. The Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) is an organization that operates several heritage transportation sites in Minnesota and just across the border in Wisconsin. ... The Museum of Lake Minnetonka (MLM) is an organization that was split from the Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) in 2004–2005 to operate the steamboat Minnehaha that was part of a small fleet made by the Twin City Rapid Transit Company (TCRT) in 1906. ...

Recent history

The lake is mentioned in the Prince film Purple Rain and a scene is featured in which Prince's love interest attempts to "purify" herself in the lake. After she has entered the water, Prince reveals that the water she has entered is not in fact Lake Minnetonka. Dave Chappelle (as Prince) mocked that part of the film in an episode of Chappelle's Show, saying, "Why don't you purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka?" Since his rise to fame in the 1980s, Prince has lived around the lake area but never on the lake itself. He has had a home on Lake Ann in Chanhassen. Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... Purple Rain is a 1984 feature film directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Magnoli and William Blinn. ... David Khari Webber Chappelle (born August 24, 1973) is an American stand-up comedian, satirist, screenwriter, television/film producer and actor. ... Chappelles Show is an American comedy television series starring comedian Dave Chappelle. ... Chanhassen is a city located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. ...

In 2005 Lake Minnetonka gained national attention due to the scandal involving members of the Minnesota Vikings football team. On October 6, 2005, during a cruise on a pair of chartered boats on Lake Minnetonka, certain members of the team were alleged to have performed and received sexual favors with a variety of individuals, leading to widespread criticism of the players and embarrassment within the organization. An alleged sex party occurred on October 6, 2005 on Lake Minnetonka when seventeen key members of the Minnesota Vikings football team, including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, Fred Smoot, Mewelde Moore, Darren Sharper, Pat Williams, Bryant McKinnie, Nate Burleson, Ralph Brown, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, Kevin Williams, Jermaine Wiggins, Lance Johnstone... League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1961–present) Western Conference (1961-1969) Central Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970-present) NFC Central (1970-2001) NFC North (2002-present) Current uniform Team colors Purple, Gold, White Fight song Skol, Vikings Mascot Viktor the Viking, Ragnar Personnel Owner Zygi Wilf General... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Fishing on the lake

Lake Minnetonka is a premier location in the southern section of the state, and especially the metro area, for fishing tournaments. Its game species include yellow perch, sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, and especially muskellunge (or muskies). There are dozens of fishing tournaments every year, and several of the largest bass in the state have been taken from Lake Minnetonka. Regarding muskies, few lakes near Minneapolis have more, bigger fish. Big Island, a popular lounging island near Excelsior, holds many large fish. Common methods for Lake Minnetonka muskies include bucktails, surface lures and spoons. The best spot for bass and northern pike are quiet coves or bays where there is medium vegetation and zero to very few boaters. Fish these areas with topwaters or suspending baits to get the fish to bite. If that doesn't work, try soft baits like salamanders, worms, or crawdads to get fish in the boat. For the unit of measurement, see pole. ... Genera  Acantharchus  Ambloplites  Archoplites  Centrarchus  Enneacanthus  Lepomis  Micropterus  Pomoxis Sunfish range The sunfishes are a family (Centrarchidae) of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. ... Binomial name The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is a species of fish in the sunfish family. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The northern pike (known as the pike in Britain), Esox lucius, is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox (the pikes). ... Binomial name (Mitchill, 1818) Subspecies S. v. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The Muskellunge or muskie or musky (Esox masquinongy) are large, relatively rare freshwater fish of North America. ...

According to a popular legend, a sturgeon in excess of 10 feet (3 m) in length has been sighted on more than one occasion in the lake. These sightings have persisted over the last 30 years. The sturgeon is often referred to as "Lou." For other uses, see Sturgeon (disambiguation). ...

Lake Cruises

Lake Minnetonka is popular for lake cruises. The lake cruises offer views of the lake and dining.

Geography

Gray's Bay Dam on the lake's east end helps to control the water level. This structure is also called the Headwaters Control Structure of Gray's Bay. The flow over the dam ranges from zero to 300 cu ft (8.495 m³) per second or a daily rate of up to 26 million US gallons (98,421 m³). Evaporation from Lake Minnetonka can be as high as 50 million US gallons (189,270.6 m³) a day. According the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, annual evaporation from the lake is about 30 inches (760 mm) of water, or 11.5 billion US gallons (43,532,235 m³). This is countered by an average rate of 28 inches (710 mm) of rainfall, and 20 inches (508 mm) of run off water. This article is about structures for water impoundment. ... The cubic foot (symbols ft³, cu. ... The cubic meter (symbol m³) is the SI derived unit of volume. ... The gallon (abbreviation: gal) is a unit of volume. ...

See also

• Westonka

Westonka is a portmanteau of west and Minnetonka, referring to the west third of Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota, roughly 25 miles west of Minneapolis. ...

References

• Lake Minnetonka History, accessed January 31, 2004
• Minnesota DNR Lake Information Report -- Lake Minnetonka

External links

• Lake Minnetonka Online
• Westonka Historical Society
• MoundWestonka.com
• Minnehaha Creek Watershed District
• Wayzata Yacht Club
• Lake Minnetonka Cruises