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Lake
Flowers
Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota
Lake Minnetonka (meaning "Big Waters" in
the native Dakota language), is located 20 miles due West of
Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota. Formed by glacial melting following the
last Ice Age, Lake Minnetonka is one of the largest lakes in the state,
boasting 110 miles of shoreline. Various Native American tribes inhabited
the area for centuries before the lake was "discovered" by portagers in
1822 and ancient Indian burial mounds are visible in many locations along
the shoreline.
In 1852, a dam was built on Minnehaha
Creek and a loggers settlement grew into the village of Minnetonka Mills.
That same year, George Bertram, after a brief visit to the lake, returned
to the east coast and established the "Excelsior Pioneer Association".
They returned to Lake Minnetonka in 1853 and founded the town of Excelsior
on the southern side of the lower lake. Other regular visitors to Lake
Minnetonka include Babe Ruth and Clayton Moore (aka, the "Lone Ranger".)
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