1958 Map of Lake Minnetonka

About this map

Lake Minnetonka dominates this landscape, its intricate shoreline of bays and arms such as Jennings Bay and Wayzata Bay defining the development of the region in the late 1950s. The map illustrates a mature lakeside economy where established communities like Wayzata, Excelsior, and Mound are connected by a dense network of transport, including the Great Northern and the Minneapolis and St Louis railroads. The era’s cultural and educational footprint is visible through sites like the Jesuit Seminary near St Bonifacius and the Assumption Seminary further south. Local genealogy is well-supported by numerous cemetery records, including Woodside Cem and St Marks Cem, alongside neighborhood institutions like Orono High Sch and Calvin Ch. This survey provides an essential view of the western suburbs before the post-war housing boom fully transformed the gaps between these lakeside townships.