The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-06
Lake Minnetonka
A LAKE PLAYGROUND.
Excelsior Common and Something
Of the History Of the Attrac-
tive Place.
H. B. McGrath One of the Squat.
ters'' of 1863 Tells of the
First Cabin.

Who has not heard Of the Boston COM
mon? Who in the visinity Of the twin
cities has not heard of the common, or,
as it generally called, the commons, at
Excelsior, Lake Minnetonka? The Ex-
celsior common is an irregular tract Of
land, a peninsula, lying along the lake
shore at the northwest corner Of the town
1t contains seventeen acres-ample room
for two or three Of the largest picnics that
can be brought to the lake. 1t Is tract
of hills and dels, cliffs and miniature
plateaus and plain. The hillsides are
thicky covered with sturdy young trees,
thickly covered with sturdy young trees.
the cliff one can obtain, perhaps, the
most advantageous view Of the lake pos
sible. Tables and seats have been con-
structed for the accommodation of pic
nickers, and a cycle course, baseball dia-
mond and other provisions for sports and
games have been provided on level part
Of the common.
The land is perhaps the most desirable
for residence purpose to be found on the
south shore Of the lake, and the irregu-
lar formation Of the shore affords a long
stretch Of lake front. It Is useless to esti-
mate what the land would bring If sold
in lots for residences, for 1t will not be
sold for residence or other purposes; 1t
is dedicated to the municipality forever.
Tell us about the origin Of the COM
MONS said newspaper man to II. Is.
McGrath, who is about the only man liv-
Ing who was one OF the very earliest
settlers in Excelsior.
1T was in May, 1862 said Mr.. Nc
Grath, that q colony from the east sent
me and another carpenter here to build
a cabin. The colony was supposed to be
made up OF bay state Yankees, but in
reality they came from different portions
Of New England and New York. My
friend and I first erected little shelter
for ourselves, and when that was done we
set to work on the cabin This was the
first building on Lake Minnetonka, and
it stood less than a block from the posi-
| ton Of the new casino.
The first minister in the new commu
nifty was Rev. Charles Galpin. He or
ganized Congregational church, but he
didn't remain its pastor very long. He
was we'll adapted to pioneer work. and
the results Of some Of his ideas are still
visible. One Of his notions was to dedi-
cate portion of the land to the commu-
nifty for a common. We had squatted on
the land, for it had not yet been surveyed
by the government. There was law in
| existence whereby we could buy the land
from the governement at $1.25 per acre
and dedicate it for this purpose, and we
did. The value of the grounds was taxed
up against the owners Of land contigu-
Gus to the piece so dedicated.
| "These trees are largely Of recent
growth. The old trees mostly died out
from the fires which the Indians used to
! set in the spring. The dead leaves would
cause their footsteps to be heard by the
deer, and in the early spring they would
burn these leaves away. This killed the
old trees, except here and there one. These
trees have grown up since we came and
stopped the fires 49, -
Can any part Of the commons ever be
bought? Well, suppose it would take
a lawyer to figure that out. We have
been accustomed to believe that 1t couldn't
be sold, and I am sure 1t was our 1nten-
ton, when we dedicated it, to have the
land left to our heirs forever. But strange
things sometimes develop In law, and
there Is one thing guess they could do;
guess they could lease the ground. and
that might be about the same thing. 1
wish they couldn't. for it seems to me
like a nice idea to have this land kept
just as 1t IS forever" H.. -r
| A. E. Thurston of Excelsior has been
getting his bathing establishment in f1ne
| shape, but owing to the cool and rainy
weather the bathing season has not as
yet opened. The approach to the bathing
place has been greatly improved since
last year, by filling up the rough path
leading there with deep sand from the
beach. The small cabin house which
|
taken away, thus clearing the view
across the lake from every side. An en-
trely new building has been erected al
| the end of the old row of cabins. This
new house Is built with a high roof, in
which are openings for ventilation, sc
that the place will be cool and airy ever
during the hottest days. In 1t are
twentyfour cabins Of comfortable size
the floors are laid above the ground
| VIII RI at he fol
run off between the latticed floor boards
giving the floors chance to dry, quickly
AS the water Is high above the regu
lar water mark, swimming WILDE NOR
delightful than ever before. A rul
which will be esta blished by the owne
Of the place is that the bathing beacl
proper will only be open to bathers; thi
will prevent crowds of people standing
around to the discomfort of the bathers.
For seasons past the high diving an
} trick swimming has formed one Of tn
entertaining features at the bathing pa
vilion. In order to make 1t still NOR
| amusing, Mr.. Thurston has replaced tn
old diving tower with new apparatus
sixteen feet high. The performers ar
delighted with the new tower, which
, completely equipped in every way. Th
toboggan chute, with its height of almos
B fifty feet, is another attraction that wa
appreciated last year by the swimmers
then there are the rolling logs In tina
part of the place where the non-sw i'm
mers battle, and which offers endles
fun.
! l. The popular colors in bathing suits fc
;, women are to be blue and black, an
: some Of the outfits seen at the beach ar
smart and becoming. Mr.. Thurston ha
J command over a complete wardrobe fc
all sorts Of bathers, being fully awar
3 that a handsome bathing suit adds cor
siderably to the attractions Of bathing.