Tag: Steamboat Minnehaha

Wayzata Historical Society will host program on Steamboat Minnehaha & Yellow Jacket Streetcar Boats

April 15th, 2023

File photo of the Minnehaha. Photograph credit Daniel Gustafson.

The Wayzata Historical Society will host a program entitled “Yellow Jackets: The Story of Lake Minnetonka’s Streetcar Boats” at Wayzata City Hall on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

The event, which is open to the public, will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room.

The program will delve into the history of the “streetcar boats” that were operated by the Twin City Rapid Transit Company between 1906 and 1926.

Pictured are the Harriet and the Minnehaha. Submitted photo.

The boats were designed by Royal Moore, a Wayzata based boat builder and were able to provide transportation on Lake Minnetonka during that era.

The event will also feature a discussion on the history of the streetcar steamboat Minnehaha, which was raised from the bottom of the lake in 1980 and restored back to passenger service in 1996.

Minnehaha, one of the six identical streetcar boats, is an iconic symbol of Lake Minnetonka’s heritage and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota. The Minnehaha has been operated by the Museum of Lake Minnetonka in recent years.

It is the only steam-powered vessel-for-hire based in the state. However, the boat has been stuck in drydock since 2019 when it lost access to the only launch ramp capable of getting it back into the water.

During the program, an update on the current status of Minnehaha will be provided to the audience. The boat is currently being stored in a maintenance facility and continues to receive care while awaiting a new launching home.

The event is free, and no registration is required.
Steamboat Minnehaha featured on KSTP

June 24th, 2016

Check out this great video segment on the Steamboat Minnehaha produced by KSTP!

Steamboat Minnehaha visits the Wayzata Docks (photos)

June 27th, 2011

Steamboat Minnehaha on Wayzata Bay. Photo Dan Gustafson.

The Steamboat Minnehaha visited the Wayzata Docks several times while the family and I were walking around the waterfront area Sunday afternoon. Take a look at the photos of this historical and iconic vessel:

PHOTOS: Steamboat Minnehaha visits Wayzata Docks on Lake Minnetonka

Steamboat Minnehaha Returns to Big Island

June 10th, 2011

“Wilderness Adventure” will bring people back in time

Excelsior, Minn. – The Steamboat Minnehaha will return to Big Island on June 18 and 19, recreating a voyage it made last year for the first time in eight decades. Visitors who board the historic steamboat at the Excelsior Dock will experience a restored wilderness park full of the wonders nature has to offer. They’ll walk along wooded trails, picnic on a grassy knoll, swim at a sandy beach and view a pair of bald eagles nesting atop an old tree.

The “Big Island Wilderness Adventure” is an outing for the entire family to enjoy. “Families can pack a picnic lunch and take the steamboat to the island for a day of hiking, swimming and exploring this beautiful island, which was made possible by financial support from the City of Orono and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District,” said Jim Murphy, President of the Museum of Lake Minnetonka. “This weekend is part of an ongoing commitment to have the island be accessible to the public and providing low-cost transportation is our way of making sure that happens,” he said.

To enhance the visitors’ experience, there will be tour guides on hand to provide historical background on the island, including its days as an amusement park and a veterans’ camp. There also will be signs placed throughout the park showing where the amusement rides were located and identifying what remains from the period of 1906-1911.

Since all but one of the structures were removed last winter, this will be the first time the public will see the park restored to its natural beauty. As a wilderness park, Big Island does not offer food or beverage service or provide restroom facilities. A restroom is available on the boat.

During the “Big Island Wilderness Adventure” all trips leave from and return to the Excelsior City Docks. The scheduled departures are at 9:30 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:50 p.m., 2:20 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Round trip tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. It is strongly suggested people order tickets online at
http://www.steamboatminnehaha.org.

For more information on the Steamboat Minnehaha and the Museum of Lake Minnetonka – including the 2011 schedule, how to order tickets, and volunteer opportunities – visit http://www.steamboatminnehaha.org.
About the Museum of Lake Minnetonka and Steamboat Minnehaha The Museum of Lake Minnetonka, an all-volunteer, 501-C3 museum, is in its 16th year of offering cruises to the public on its historic steamboat Minnehaha. Passengers have traveled from all corners of the world to enjoy a ride aboard this floating museum.

View pictures of the Steamboat Minnehaha here.
The Steamboat Minnehaha announces Wednesday night concert cruises

June 19th, 2009

The Museum of Lake Minnetonka, the not for profit organization that owns and operates the Steamboat Minnehaha, has released the boat’s Wednesday Night Concert Cruise schedule for the period June 24th through July 29th, 2009.

This summer, the Minnehaha will be offering Wednesday Night Concert Cruises, departing from Excelsior dock at 6:00 p.m. and arriving in Wayzata at the Depot at 7:00 p.m. Here passengers can relax in Wayzata and enjoy the evening listening to a live concert in the park and enjoy the beautiful sunset over Lake Minnetonka.

The performances are an hour and a half long and feature various Minnesota bands, jazz groups, polka groups, and bluegrass groups. We have also paired up with D’Amico and Northcoast Restaurant who have agreed to deliver dinner to the park as guests enjoy the concert. Minnehaha riders can get information on how to order their dinner directly from these restaurants online at our website. Minnehaha will then depart when the concert ends at 8:30 p.m. and make the journey back to Excelsior, arriving at 9:30 p.m.

Pricing for the Wednesday Night Concert Cruises is $15 for adults and $5 for children 12 & under. Tickets may be purchased online at: www.steamboatminnehaha.org or at the Excelsior dock up to 20 minutes before departure time.

When asked to comment on the Wednesday Night Concert Cruises, longtime Captain and Museum of Lake Minnetonka Board Member Brad Buxton commented, “I think the concert cruises are the most unique of our cruises because passengers not only get to experience riding aboard a hundred year old steamboat, but they can also make a night out of it, with dinner and a free concert.”

Since that first cruise of its second life, the Minnehaha has made over 5,000 trips carrying over 100,000 passengers. The Minnehaha is a piece of living history and its smokestack and steam whistle are constant reminders of the long, proud history of the lake. We invite you to be apart of this rich history by jumping on board and joining us for our Wednesday Night Concert Cruises.

For more information on the Steamboat Minnehaha, visit the Steamboat Minnehaha Web site.

Click the following link for more information on Wayzata Restaurants.

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Tag: Steamboat Minnehaha

Wayzata Historical Society will host program on Steamboat Minnehaha & Yellow Jacket Streetcar Boats

Steamboat Minnehaha featured on KSTP

Steamboat Minnehaha visits the Wayzata Docks (photos)

Steamboat Minnehaha Returns to Big Island

The Steamboat Minnehaha announces Wednesday night concert cruises