Mound Minnesota on Lake Minnetonka Blog.MoundWestonka.com
Sollie's Creek Redux
With the recent heavy rains, the creek started outletting into Lost Lake for the first time this year Wednesday evening. I'd guess I am seeing a gallon a minute of flow. For those not familiar with the creek, it's just a bit North of 2567 Commerce Boulevard and passes under Commerce flowing to the East. No carp have been observed, sneaking into the Landon Bay the from Lost Lake. In other news, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, has resumed testing of the bay. They test most if not all of our lakes on a pretty regular basis.
It was the 1960s, and my Mom would would once in awhile take us to the Ben Franklin Store. If memory serves me right, there was penny candy towards the front. Maybe 16, 20 or more different kinds in a divided box like table kind of thing. Beyond candy there was the typical Variety Store fare. Toys, School Supplies, perhaps Sewing type goods.
Tropical Fish were sold too. I don't know how common Aquariums were at the time but we had one, with the lights and an air bubbler, and fish bought from the Ben Franklin. Brought home magically in clear plastic bags, cut off for a period of time from the bubbling air. We carefully did not shock them, by letting the bag sit in the Aquarium for awhile as the water temperatures equalized.
At some time, the Ben Franklin became John's Pet and Variety. I'd like to thank John for maintaining this Mound Tradition. For being an Anchor of our business district for all these years. For giving me the opportunity to have my kids visit his free Zoo in the back, with the gerbils, the birds, and the other animals.
Sollies Creek now has water in it because of the recent rain. It is not flowing though. It appears the creek has a 2nd berm where it empties into Lost Lake. I'd guess this 2nd berm is uncrossable by any carp wishing to enter Langdon Bay. If the Big Lake rises enough in level, this berm would be submerged, thus completing the link. I'd also say at the moment, Langdon Bay is still a holding pond. The entire subwatershed contributing nothing to raising the Big Lake's level. Its own system.
The recent rains have raised the bay level and we're about 2 inches away from the creek flowing. Algae has made an early return arrival this year but the apparent clarity of the water is high. At least one Blue Heron has taken up residence on the bay.
The Langdon Bay boat launch is open of course. The grade of launch where it matter is extremely flat and the low bay level can cause problems. Caution is advised. Please walk the path your trailer will take beforehand.
Langdon Bay is still cut off from Lake Minnetonka because of its low level. I'd guess that it needs to rise 3 to 4 inches before it outlets into the Big Lake. The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District has classified Langdon Bay as part of the Langdon Lake Subwatershed. The watershed is 1,055 acres in size while Langdon Bay weighs in at 144 acres.
Taking those two numbers we have: 1,055/144. Or a 7.33 maximum 'push' factor. If every drop of rain that falls moves into Langdon Bay, it would rise 7.33 times the rainfall in inches. Not every drop does though for a number of reasons. Lake Saunders may not be outletting into the bay if its level is down. Natural and artificial holding ponds may slow the movement down. I suppose the ground does absorb some of it too, but how much it does, varies throughout the year. We can say, this push factor is always at least 1.00.
The wildlife report for today is, the minnows are back, along with the ducks and geese. Our loon count for the year is holding at zero. There was no observed winter kill.
The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) names the lake West of Mound that can be seen South of County Road 15, Black Lake. It can also be seen by looking East from Gale Woods Park. It is bordered on the South be the Dakota Rail Trail and outlets into Lake Saunders by running under that trail.
It is part of what the MCWD calls the Lake Langdon Watershed. Lake Saunders is also in the watershed and outlets into Lake Langdon.
A number of good maps by the MCWD can be found here: MCWD Also at this link, the MCWD does talk about the Black Lake and Lake Saunders outlet berms and possible problems with them. I've written about the Sollie's Creek berm, which can control the Lake Langdon Watershed's connection to the rest of Lake Minnetonka.
I'd be interested in further information about Black Lake, including fish populations.
Sollie's Creek in at least 8 out of 10 years, will in Spring be flowing. Last year saw lower than average levels in Langdon Bay. The Creek has been dry for at least 6 months. The question is, will the Creek have its normal Spring flow this year? I believe sand drops out when the Creek is flowing and creates a flat berm at its headwaters. If the bay level doesn't rise to overcome that berm, the bay is cut off from Lake Minnetonka. With the low snowfalls this year, I don't know if the Langdon Bay watershed, which includes Lake Saunders will gather enough during the Spring thaw to breach the sand berm. The bay is roughly 140 acres in area so it can store a fair amount of Spring run off.
It assumed that fish including our carp, will use the creek to get from greater Lake Minnetonka to the bay, but that is not known. When the carp gather in Sollie's Creek most Springs, are they coming just from the bay, or are they Salmon-like, returning from greater Lake Minnetonka, through Lost Lake? I've seen them moving upstream through about 3 inches of heavily vegetated water, with half their bodies above the surface. Apparently quite determined.
When I was about 10 years old, my Mom took us kids to swimming lessons at Surfside beach. This would have been around 1970. I remember the beach had an H shaped dock. The dock did not butt up against the shore, but was out there a ways, for kids to dive from and play on it. I remember Fritz Soule was the swimming lesson teacher, and would give us tests, such as swimming a certain distance.
Tom Rockvam is making a request to bring Surfside's old name back to Mound Bay Park. I think that would be a good idea.
Today around 1:00 in the afternoon, a Loon call was heard from on Langdon Bay. The Loon was seen by myself as well. It's official. Another visit by a Loon, perhaps indicating the Okay health of the Bay. So far this year, the Bay is quite clear. Zero fish have been caught from the boat launch area, but the minnow population in the same area is well above average.
Good news from last year for Lake Langdon: "The study's C grade notes that a lake is typical of lakes in the
seven-county metropolitan area. C lakes may not be ideal for swimming,
boating, and fishing due to summer algae growth. A total of 25 lakes
received a C grade in 2010.....Langdon Lake (up from an F grade in 2006 and 2008)..." - waconiapatriot.com/articles/2011/06/10/the_laker/news/news07.txt
While a grade of C may not sound like much to cheer about, it's at least a temporary improvement. In other news, maximum observed carp levels for this Spring, were around 10. Short of the 15 needed for an 'official' Carp Run to be declared. The carp have headed for greener pastures recently. Sollie Creek has slowed down to about 1/2 its prior flow.
Almost daily checks of Sollie's Creek this year have yet to result in the observation of a 'carp run'. In a majority of the years, carp congregate in the creek for a number of days. Today I observed perhaps 4 of them, who also saw me, and then headed into the bay. I assume they lay their eggs some years at the head of creek. I'd say there has been minimal activity there that year. I would also say that a Sollie's Creek carp run would be at least 15 carp in the creek or at its headwaters.
It may have to do with the creek's well above average flow this Spring. There could be other factors as well. Them finding better spawning elsewhere, or a change in their population.
In past years, with the creek having only a depth of a few inches, carp with height of 5 inches, measured from belly to the top of their back, have been observed, making their way upstream. Most of their bodies above water, and showing their survival, can't fence me in, behavior.
Langdon Bay was officially ice out on April 10th of this year. The past winter was unusual for the bay, as Sollie's Creek did flow all winter. I would guess at a rate of 10 gallons per second. In most years, the creek freezes over.
Estimate of the oil spilled to date: 63 million gallons. Estimate of water in the Gulf: 643,000,000,000,000,000 gallons. I figured a 1/10,000,000,000 ratio.
1/195,000,000: odds of winning the Powerball jackpot. Comparing the percentage of Deepwater Horizon oil in the Gulf, to the odds of winning the Powerball, I get 6.3 X 10 to the 10th versus 1.95 X 10 to the 8th.
So if you played the Powerball, one ticket at a time, and at same time examined a gallon of water from the gulf, one gallon at a time. You'd be 31 more times likely to win the Powerball than to find that that gallon of water just examined was actually Deepwater Horizon oil.
Doing more calculations about the BP oil spill, I came up with this: Lake Minnetonka is 1.3 X 10 to the 11th power gallons of water. Using the 1/10,000,000,000 ratio from before, we then have 1.3 X 10 to the 1st power gallons of oil in Lake Minnetonka or 13 gallons of oil. This series of connected lakes is a little less than 23 square miles in area. I sure hope I am not off by a factor of 10 or 100.
The Bay is cleared. March 31st is the official date this year for 'Ice Out'.
Past dates for Ice Outs:
2009 4/06
2008 4/20
2007 3/28
Today I received a call from the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. They may be planning a mapping of the lake bottom for this year. We also talked about why the creek started flowing so early this year. This was a common thing this year for other creeks I was told. It's an interesting question. What causes creeks to resume flowing early, before there has been much snow melting.
The Bay is hinting at going Ice Out. The rock thrown on the ice test though showed that the ice is still pretty thick. The minnows have returned in force and seem to be doing well. The creek is still flowing at a good pace. My estimate is 10 gallons a second.
Today's festivities at the tax office included a review of a new client's tax return from the prior year. He used H & R Block, though it wasn't the one in Mound, Minnesota. To see what I found click on the link. It's hard for me to believe that someone charges this much.
H & R Block charges how much? One thing I've never done is offer Refund Anticipation Loans. I guess the best thing I could say about them is they get mixed reviews. Paying 9% to get your money about 2 weeks earlier, isn't something they taught me in accounting school.
The Creek has been flowing for about a month now which is quite unusual. In most years a dry Fall season means that the creek will stop flowing for the year and only resume in the Spring as the the snow melt runs into Langdon Bay. This year was different as with only minimal snow melt, the Creek started flowing while temperatures were still cold . My guess is something caused the bay level to rise, perhaps global warming or heavy snow sitting on the ice.
The flow of the creek has been strong and my guess is a constant 20 gallons per second. No Carp, Catfish, Sunfish or Minnows have been observed so far this year in the creek.
I think we are fortunate that we still have this perhaps historic business in our area. The root beer still tastes great. It is one of the few real drive-ins left around here. According to me, a real drive-in has a speaker that you talk into to place your order.
It's been a slow Summer for fishing on the bay. Fish are not hitting on corn, leeches or lures. The fish tally for the year is zero. Perhaps it all has to do with the winter kill that ended so many carps lives? One theory I heard about winter kills is that thick snow cover on the lake leads to low sunlight penetration into the water. While the fish give off carbon dioxide, the plants lacking sunlight, do not give off oxygen. The bay was oxygen depleted, so the theory goes. (I wonder if the death of the fish, also kills plants, as they are co-dependent?) Carp might be thought of as survivors, and their death might indicate other species having a similar demise. There was no observed annual carp run into the bay this year. Sollies Creek which connects the bay to Lake Minnetonka has been dry most the year. Bay levels are lower than average, but not extremely so.
On the plus side, the bay is much cleaner this year with visibility of a foot or more not uncommon. Weed growth seems somewhat less than average, and I don't recall observing any pea soup conditions that are normal occurrences on the bay. Perhaps the cooler temperatures and low rainfall have caused some of this. Less rainfall may lead to less run off into the bay, that may contribute to plant growth.
The Blue herons have been around all year, and they are my bay health barometers. I may have heard a loon call this year, but was sadly unable to confirm a visit this year.
With the passing of April 15th, the East shore of Langdon Bay has quieted down quite a bit. Sollie's Creek/Langdon Bay Creek has been temporarily renamed Fish Kill Creek. Over a hundred carp did not survive the Winter and their final resting place is the creek that flows into Lost Lake. The DNR was notified of the fish kill, but no alarms were raised, and can less carp really be a bad thing? No sunnies, crappies or bullheads washed up with the carp and we hope they survived the Winter. I can report that the minnow traps are active and productive. Now we are looking for some rain with the hope that that will flush the creek. The lake level is still good though.
Today saw the return to the area of Sky Blue Waters. Lake Langdon is approaching its official Ice Out, which is defined as being able to navigate a pontoon boat around the edge of the lake within 50 feet of the shoreline and being able to cross the lake both east to west and north to south. Yesterday saw a huge flock of Seagulls doing whatever is they do on the remaining ice and making quite a racket. They may have been attracted to the lake by the 100 or so dead carp seen floating along the shore today. Lake Langdon is for the most part shallow, and may have ran out of oxygen as a result of global warming during the Winter.
It's official, Sollie's Creek which crosses under Commerce Boulevard just North of Green T Accounting is open and flowing into Lost Lake. The annual carp run can't be far behind.
"Back in the 1940's, as a kid, I used to lay down by the the water running out of a culvert and catch little minnows that would swim by. When I had enough of this I would go over to Pete Sollies store and he would give me a slice of meat or two and afterwards I would go the the next store and watch the blacksmith making something on his anvil. There also would be a time or two when the Andrews Sisters would come to town in their 3 Cadillac convertibles and their secretary would have a Cadillac sedan. The sisters would also go roller skating upstairs at the building by Cooks bay. Some of the guys would roller skate with them but I was too shy. I graduated from Mound in 1948 so I have a few memories of the early days in Mound and it was a wonderful place to grow up in. I hope I can return this summer to see how everything has changed." - Jack Legus
I am sorry that I haven't spent much time with the blog lately as I've been busy. Check the recent comments please. The Westonka Blog is Head Quartered from 'The Sollie Store'.
One thing I've recently noticed is the shrinking of the Laker Newpaper. I wish them well and hope they continue to serve us as they have for so many years.
As we know, we do have traffic in Mound that finds us waiting at the stoplight at Commerce and Shoreline/Lynwood. When driving North on Commerce Boulevard with the intention of going East on Shoreline, we often find ourselves waiting at the stoplight, trying to make a right turn on red, but are blocked by someone waiting to go straight on the green light. There wasn't room for a right turn lane there, and I'd say the person going straight is in their proper lane, given what happens further up the road. A way to avoid this wait is to take Auditors Road and cut across to Shoreline Drive. I am not sure what the speed limit is on Auditors, but you'll save time and see what changes have occurred to what I think is called, Mound's new main street.
I wonder what the grand plan is for traffic flow on this subject? Do the planners envision most people taking this short cut, or would they rather they go up to the stoplight and turn East there?
Landon Bay has froze over for the year. Sollie's Creek that runs from the bay into Lost Lake is dry and has been for quite some time. The bay's level was lower than average during the latter half of 2008.
Recently this trail has had sections of it paved in Mound, Spring Park and Minnetrista. I think it's really transformed the areas it runs through. I've seen rollerbladers, skateboarders and cyclists using this new resource. It's ideal for biking because there really aren't any hills, and you're usually sheltered from the wind.
We are waiting for the part of the trail in Downtown Mound to be sorted out. Unfortunately, the drivers in Mound still don't seem to follow our Crosswalk rules. As I understand them, if any pedestrian or cyclist is in any part of a cross walk, all traffic must stop. What I see happening is drivers driving at 30 mph giving little thought to stopping. I can deal with this and accept it however, what about children? Are they going to be able to cross at a crosswalk safely, in Mound?
There are some drivers here and everywhere else too, that cause me to repeat almost daily to my son; "Never trust a car". "Even while in a cross walk, watch both ways and don't expect a car to stop." While I would like Mound to belong to the children, and not the reckless drivers, there isn't much I can do about it. The city could issue a few tickets, and perhaps it all ready does, and I am not saying they aren't concerned. We see the signs in the road near the crosswalks, and the police officer near Grandview during the school year, so I know there's some effort being made. Perhaps I am appealing to the reckless drivers here. Children have a different perspective, and aren't part of "driving competition" that sometimes occurs. They don't cut people off, they don't tailgate. they don't pass someone to save a minute of time, and they don't speed. They just want to get from one side of Shoreline or Commerce to the other. They don't always make decisions like we do. They need drivers to give them a break.
Also I've noticed on our newly paved trail something that has in occurred other localities as well. The trail has little stop signs for the cyclists in places. The meaning to me seems clear. Stop and proceed when safe to do so. Right next to the stop sign is a cross walk crossing the road, which implies traffic must stop for cyclists. So who has the right of way? It's confusing, even for an adult. If I had to go one way or the other, I'd say the cyclists should yield. I do understand painting a cross walk on the road probably makes things safer. I'd guess less confusing might have its own merits too. What to do? "Never trust a car."
OK, bad drivers aside, this is really an improvement to the area and the City had and has some role in accomplishing it. My son and I rode all the way out to the WRA Park last night, and it was an easy ride. The section going West of Mound is really nice and still rural. The fall colors ought to be great.
Local author Tom Rockvam being interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation in front of Green T Accounting's building: This building was owned by the Andrews Sisters uncles for many years who operated the Sollie Store that sold groceries. The BBC was in town this day filming a movie about the life and careers of the Andrews Sisters.
Local author Tom Rockvam has announced that the British Broadcast Corporation will be in Mound filming a movie about the life and career of the Andrews Sisters. The date of the BBC's appearance in Mound will be June 10th.
The public is being asked to show up at 10:00 AM at "The Andrews Sisters Trail" that is South of old Shoreline in downtown Mound and runs along Lost Lake.
The Andrews Sisters spent a significant amount of time in Mound, and it seems the BBC recognizes this.
This weekend saw the ice going out on Lake Langdon which is defined by being able to navigate a pontoon boat around the edge of the lake within 50 feet of the shoreline and being able to cross the lake both east to west and north to south. This year's winter kill includes a higher than average amount of carp which I predict will not impact their population or cause them to be placed on the threatened species list. The creek, (Langdon Bay Creek or Sollies Creek, take your pick.) is flowing into Lost Lake at a rate of about 10 gallons per second.
The ducks have returned and seem to be doing what ducks do every Spring, and there's a huge flock of white aquatic birds on the lake that are probably pelicans. And I am pleased to announce that about 5 loons have stopped by today and I am officially proclaiming there presence on the lake again. Their calls have also been heard.
And on this busy day, about 50 carp were seen moving upstream from Lost Lake into Landon Bay. Each year the creek is running, the carp will about this time, get confused and think they are Salmon, and fight their way upstream to spawn. While salmon die after they spawn, apparently carp do not.
Langdon Bay Creek is about half open with the ice melted off of some of it. It appears to be flowing at a minimal rate, but I can't be sure about that. Langdon Bay's level may be low enough so that it hasn't breached the berm that sometimes forms at its headwaters.
Also I have recently been informed that another name for the creek is: "Sollie's Creek". (I am uncertain about the correct placement of the apostrophe.) Named after the two Uncles of the Andrews Sisters. These uncles owned the Sollie Store located South of the Creek for many years.
I'd like to thank the driver who passed me on the left while I was slowing to make a left turn off of Bartlett at Avon yesterday. Thank you for not running into the driver's side of my truck at around 2:00 pm Saturday when the roads were wet and it was snowing. I am sorry that my slowing down from about 25 mph to 15 mph in a residential area to make my left turn onto Avon could've delayed as long as 15 seconds, that surely wasn't my intent. Yes I was surprised to see you passing me in what I used to consider my neighborhood, until I realized I couldn't argue with physics and that Bartlett Boulevard between Shirley Hills and Shoreline belongs to those using it to get some place in a hurry. As I started my turn, there you were, like Richard Petty making that race winning pass. All I could do is stop in amazement and wonder, was that perhaps Jeff Gordon right here in Mound? A stock car racer once told me that their cars don't have rear-view mirrors, and it has something to do with never looking back. After I got over my shock at almost being in accident, I drove up to my house and tested my turn signal, thinking perhaps it was covered in that heavy wet snow that was falling or that it wasn't working? But that wasn't the case, it blinked OK. But all is well that ends well, and I am happy that you could continue on your way and know that you had saved yourself 15 seconds of travel time.
As I write this thank you to this unknown driver, I am reminded me of another near accident I was almost in. I was making a right turn off of Shoreline onto Chateau and was passed on the right. That taught me to block the break down lane of a road when making a right turn. Signaling a right turn may not count for anything. Physically blocking the break down lane where someone may try to pass, seems the safer thing to do. Some might say I am supposed to use the break down lane along that stretch of Shoreline, East of the old Hardee's, when making a right turn. I might say that it's too narrow to be a right turn lane given the width of my truck. Its narrowness might make things more dangerous if I use it as a turning lane. The reason I think it's not marked as a turning lane is not to save on paint, but because the road isn't wide enough to have a turning lane.
Unfortunately, I can't think of anything to make making a left turn in Mound any safer? Maybe I just won't make left turns anymore. I suppose it's normal to have differing opinions between people who live somewhere and people and who just want to get through somewhere as fast a possible. I am happy I haven't inconvenienced anyone by having an accident with them, as that might make them late for wherever it is they are going.
The following was added on 2/15/09: I think that people who speed through our town, are not respecting us. Most of us want our town's roads to be safe. We think it's a reasonable expectation that we are able to use the Cross Walks safely, and more importantly, that our children and grandchildren can. We like our town and are sorry if it's an inconvience to you to have obey our traffic laws.
Barbara Blaha writes: "The next Westonka Horticulture Day will be held on April 5, 2008 at the Mound Westonka High School. This is one event you don't want to miss. Keynote speaker Jeff Gillman will dispel all those gardening myths and give you the answers you need to solve your garden problems. Over 16 workshops with topics such as lakeshore restoration, planting with annuals, beekeeping, septic mound plantings, native plants, and many more topics. We gather the best speakers available to bring a quality educational program." - Westonka Horticulture Day Their website is at: http://www.westonkahort.org/
Watercraft Inspection internships - Milfoil is not our friend
Interns are wanted for the DNR's Watercraft Inspection program. Duties include:
Educate the public on invasive species program and issues
Distribute written information to watercraft users
Inspect watercraft for invasive species
Conduct a verbal survey & inspection inventory
Document and record research activities
These are paid positions, seemingly with the requirement that interns must receive college credit to be eligible for the job. The application is due by March 14th. See more
From the StarTribune: "Residents sue Orono schools, claim referendum not conducted correctly" "Seven Orono School District residents filed a lawsuit Tuesday alleging that the district's recent $39 million bond referendum should have been conducted by mail instead of at a polling place in the school district's main office.
The suit claims that the west-metro district's Feb. 12 vote violated a state law that requires any referendum not held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November be carried out by mail, unless a district is in statutory operating debt." More
Orono's voters approved a referendum by a vote of 1,845 to 1,713.
From the Bemidji Pioneer: "The agency has returned the 52-inch fish to a Mound angler who caught it through the ice of Lake Minnetonka on Jan. 13.
Tom James kept the muskie after checking the DNR's regulation booklet and finding the season was listed as closing Feb. 24. The agency actually had closed the season on Dec. 15, but James and many other anglers weren't aware of the change." More
From the StarTribune: "Presbyterian Homes and Services has purchased a two-building apartment complex in Spring
Park and plans to rent the 75 units to its employees and the public.
The $5.4 million purchase at Shoreline and Island drives in Spring
Park was completed last month, said Mark Meyer, chief financial officer
of Roseville-based Presbyterian Homes, which provides senior housing in
the Twin Cities metro area." More
"Of the ten district residents who sought to be considered for an open
seat on the Westonka School Board, seven have been selected to make a
face-to-face pitch to the panel next month." For more of the story about Westonka Schools: Laker
From Mound Crime Prevention: "The Mound Police Department is currently
auctioning a retired police squad car on ebay if you are interested in placing a
bid or following the auction. Go to www.ebay.com and type in item
#260187820594"
From Mound Crime Prevention: Winter Parking
Restrictions Beginning November 15 through April 15
between the hours of 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM - - - - Parking is prohibited on all
city streets in accordance to Mound City Ordinance
#700.45.
Welcome to the Mound Westonka Blog that covers subjects related to
Mound Westonka, located on Western Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. We'd like to hear your comments about anything local. My name is David Greenslit, and
some of you know me as the CPA who with his partner, runs Tulberg
& Greenslit, CPAs on Commerce Boulevard. I hope you enjoy this
blog.
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Lake Minnetonka Facts
Lake Minnetonka was formed by melting ice blocks in glacial moraines 15,000 years ago. The Lake is 929.4 feet above sea level at its outlet, Grays Bay dam. Its greatest length is 10.9 miles (Halsteds Bay to Grays Bay). 30 feet is its average depth. April 12 - 17 is the range of its average ice-out dates. - from the Hennepin County Library.
Fact of the Day:
Lake Minnetonka Cities
There are 14 cities on Lake Minnetonka. They are: Deephaven, Excelsior, Greenwood, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, Minnetrista, Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Victoria, Wayzata, and Woodland.
Mound Minnesota's name
"Mound derived its name from the Indian mounds once found within the present day limits. They were not built by the Dakota Indians but were made by prehistoric Indians...." - Melvin Gimmestad, from the book, Historical Backgrounds of Mound, Minnesota.
Tonka Toys
Mound was known as the "Trucking Capital of the World." Tonka Toys was once located in the present day Balboa building near the intersection of Shoreline and Wilshire.
Lois Lane and Hercules
Lois Lane and Hercules both once lived in Mound. Noel Neill appeared in the TV show "Superman". Kevin Sorbo starred as Hercules in the TV show of the same name in the 1990s.
Saint Bonifacius
This city was named for its Catholic church. Saint Boniface was the Apostle of the Germans. Bonifacius in Latin means, of good fate or fortune.
City of Minnetrista
"The City of Minnetrista is located on the western bays of Lake Minnetonka and the agricultural rich plains and idyllic woodlands of southwestern Hennepin County.....The 32 square miles is home to 5,250 residents who enjoy the rural residential and lakeside settings." - from the City's web page.
Busy Corners
The corner of Lake and Central Avenues used to be the center of Mound. Lake Avenue is now called Bartlett Boulevard and Central changed to Commerce Boulevard. Kirby's Bait Shop is located on Busy Corners.
The Island
Island Park is also known as Phelps Island, and once was called North Shore Park. Phelps is the largest island on Lake Minnetonka, and some say it was originally a peninsula. There was a lot of dredging done in Lake Minnetonka's past. It lies East of Cook's Bay and West of Spring Park Bay. Island Park merged with Mound in 1960. It is still called "The Island".
Early Lake Minnetonka
In 1822 Joe Brown, a drummer boy at Fort Snelling and the Commandant's son Will Snelling discover Lake Minnetonka. The two 14 year old boys canoed up Minnehaha Creek and found its source. It appears that relations with the Dakota Sioux at the time required that the Lake remain off limits. It wasn't until the 1850s that its existence becomes general knowledge. In 1852 Simon Stevens and Calvin Tuttle built a dam and sawmill on Minnehaha Creek some distance East of Lake Minnetonka. The next year a hotel is built nearby. In 1854 the Cook House is built in Mound. The 1850s are the beginning of significant settlement around Lake Minnetonka.
Emerald Lake. Picture by: 
