When I started writing for Tonka Times magazine in 2010, one of my first stories was about the history of Big Island on Lake Minnetonka. This island has undergone many transitions over the past century, ranging from a Dakota Indian maple syrup site to a bustling amusement park hosting up to 15,000 daily visitors. Today, the western portion of the island is divided amongst numerous property owners, and the eastern 56 acres comprise a passive recreation park managed by the City of Orono. If you’d like to learn more about Big Island’s colorful history, including tales from the Scheftel family and their mother, Marge, who became known as The Queen of Big Island, click the link below to read the story. Enjoy!

Wetutonka: A Little History on Big Island. Tonka Times, July 2010.

Published version of the story posted with permission of the publisher of Tonka Times magazine.