At its July 15 meeting, the Wayzata City Council unanimously approved a formal loan agreement with the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society (LMHS), securing the long-term public display of the mural America the Beautiful in City Hall’s Community Room.
The nearly century-old artwork was originally gifted to the Wayzata schools by the graduating classes of 1927 and 1928. Crafted from three prints by different artists and assembled by the Beard Art Gallery of Minneapolis, the mural portrays early Minnesota landscapes and Indigenous life. It hung for decades in Widsten School before being salvaged in 1989 by Wayzata preservationist Deanne Straka following the school’s demolition.
The mural has been on display in City Hall since 2012, but until now, no formal agreement governed its exhibition. “This is just memorializing something that has already been such a valued part of this room,” said City Manager Jeff Dahl. “It’s part of a broader effort by the Historical Society to document and steward its collection.”
Sue Sorrentino, a longtime member of the former Wayzata Historical Society and now a representative of LMHS, explained the significance of formalizing the arrangement. “This mural has been on loan for more than 12 years,” Sorrentino said. “Now that we’ve merged with Excelsior and Westonka to form the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society, we’re working to update and clarify where our artifacts are and how they’re displayed.”
Council members expressed enthusiasm for preserving the mural’s presence. “This may be one of the very first gems in our new era of public art in Wayzata,” said Councilmember Molly MacDonald, referencing the city’s pending creation of a public art committee. The City has valued the mural at $5,000 for insurance purposes.
When asked whether the artwork might ever be reclaimed, Sorrentino reassured the council. “We’re thrilled to have it here,” she said. “The library had rules that made it hard to keep it up. This space is perfect, and we’re grateful.”
LMHS also teased future possibilities, including a vintage 1957 Tonka Craft boat currently housed at a maritime museum in Alexandria that they hope to bring to Wayzata for James J. Hill Days.
The loan agreement affirms a spirit of shared cultural stewardship between the City and LMHS. As Wayzata continues to embrace its civic identity and lakeside legacy, America the Beautiful remains a fitting and enduring tribute in the heart of City Hall.
One response to “Wayzata, LMHS Formalize Loan Agreement for “America the Beautiful” Mural”
Hey Dan, Just and FYI…These three images, by three different artist are original oil paintings that the WHS had repaired by a professional restorer when we received it because the paint was starting to crackle and lift. So, it is much more valuable being original paintings then just prints of these historical images. Thanks for writing about it!