Situated on the northeastern shore of Lake Minnetonka, the city of Wayzata abuts Browns Bay, Wayzata Bay, and Grays Bay, as well as the cities of Long Lake, Orono, Minnetonka, and Plymouth.
Wayzata is an outer ring suburb of Minneapolis, eleven miles to the west. It is in Hennepin County.
The Mdewakanton Dakota controlled the region until they were forced to cede it with the 1851 Traverse des Sioux Treaty, opening it for land claims. The first to file in the area that was to become Wayzata was Oscar E. Garrison, who built a cabin at what is now Lake Street and Broadway Avenue in 1852. In 1854, he surveyed the area and filed a claim for most of what is now Wayzata.
Other settlers came in 1855, and a blacksmith shop, hotel, sawmill, and other homes were built. Most of the early settlers were engaged in clear-cutting the trees to grow corn and wheat, but farming was devastated in 1857 by a grasshopper plague. Then ginseng was discovered in what was left of the hardwood forest. Ginseng root was in demand in the Orient, so Wayzata became a collection center for the roots that grew along the lake.
When commercial steamboat traffic on Lake Minnetonka became common, the position of Wayzata nearest to Saint Paul brought visitors to the new town. After the American Civil War, summer vacationers came to the lake, beginning a resort area for the town.
The Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad extended its tracks in 1867, and Wayzata became a transportation hub, with rail and lake traffic. At that time, James J. Hill, who later became the owner of the railroad, which he renamed the Great Northern Railway, was a freight agent for the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad. With trains coming to Wayzata regularly, hotels were built around the lake. The Maurer House - West Hotel was built in the place where Garrison's cabin had been. With hotels located along the lakeshore, vacationers were transported from the railroad depot to their destinations by large paddlewheel boats, some carrying more than three thousand passengers.
In 1881, Wayzata broke from Minnetonka Township and became a village. The first village council banned saloons and demanded that the railroad tracks be moved away from the downtown business district, and at least three hundred feet from the shoreline. The railroad refused, prompting a lawsuit. The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled against the council in 1891, and Hill moved the railroad station a mile east of town, naming the new station Holdridge. For the next fifteen years, growth in Wayzata was stagnant. In 1905, the village council reconciled with the railroad, and Hill constructed a new depot near the Wayzata business district.
However, by 1890, the tourist era had wound down, and summer cottages began to replace the hotels and resorts along the lake, although some of them were large and elaborate. Wayzata became largely a residential community, with small commercial areas on each end of Lake Street.
US Route 12 was built in the 1930s, and the population nearly doubled in a decade. Wayzata became a city, with local industries and retail businesses. A dairy industry thrived for a short time but, by the end of the war, single-family residential homes were built on former dairy farms, the highway was widened and Wayzata became home to several people who worked in the Twin Cities or some of its other suburbs.
The land area of Wayzata doubled in the 1950s through annexation of land from Minnetonka, Orono, and Plymouth. Shopping centers were built, while the city's downtown area transitioned into shops focused on fashion, services, and executive offices.
This is a guide to the city of Wayzata, Minnesota. Appropriate topics for this category include websites representing the municipality, as well as local schools, churches and other places of worship, civic or business organizations, businesses, events, or individuals.
 
 
Recommended Resources
Located on East Wayzata Boulevard, the Wayzata, Minnesota auto dealership specializes in the sale of pre-owned vehicles. Its inventory is featured here, with photos, descriptions, mileage, and asking prices. Special offers are highlighted, and its finance policies are described. Its service department is discussed, and services can be scheduled online. Career opportunities are published to the site.
https://www.autocenterbargainlot.com/
Chartered by Wayzata Community Church, Troop 283 was founded in 1915 and is the longest continuously chartered Boy Scout troop in Minnesota. Open to boys aged eleven through eighteen, the troop is in the Lake Minnetonka District of the Northern Star Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Its history is told, and photographs are included. A calendar of events, patrol information, and upcoming camping trips and other events are featured.
http://www.troop283.net/
A community calendar, news, announcements, and employment opportunities are posted to the official municipal website. The city council and government are introduced, along with council agendas and minutes, the city code and charter, public data, and meetings. City projects are reported, and its parks, trails, and recreational programs are highlighted. Local schools, places of worship, and civic organizations are acknowledged.
https://wayzata.org/
Founded in 1944, and chartered by Wayzata Community Church, the program is open to boys and girls from kindergarten through the fifth grade, primarily from Gleason Lake Elementary School, Saint Bart’s Elementary School, and home-schooled children. General information about Cub Scouting, the Boy Scouts of America, and the mission and programs of the Wayzata, Minnesota pack are put forth.
http://www.pack283.net/
The Roman Catholic parish in Wayzata, Minnesota is featured, with general information about Catholicism, becoming a Catholic, or coming back to the Catholic church. Its sacraments, mass and other schedules, a calendar of events, and programs for youth and adults are put forth. Pastoral care, ministry opportunities, and outreach services are included. News and announcements are posted to the site.
https://www.hnoj.org/
Situated on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, the boutique hotel features ninety-two rooms and suites, a two-story indoor/outdoor restaurant, spa, and wedding and social event spaces. Room rates, offers, and packages are defined, and restaurant menus, private dining venues, live music, events, and reservation policies are put forth. Its location is shown on a map, and rooms may be booked online.
https://www.thehotellanding.com/
Offering computer and laptop repair services, the Wayzata, Minnesota company can diagnose and repair all brands of laptops and desktop PCs, including Macs, including hard drive repair, screen repair, SSD and memory. Other services provided include web site design, search engine optimization, and iPhone repairs. Its location, hours of operation, and contacts are posted.
http://minnetonkacomputerrepair.com/
Located on County Road 101 North, the Wayzata, Minnesota congregation is associated with the Evangelical Free Church of America. A statement of faith, a position statement, and the church constitution are put forth, along with a map showing its location, service schedules, and a calendar of programs and events. Members of the congregation may register for special events online, and its office hours and contacts are given.
http://wayzatafree.org/
Offering a PK-12th-grade curriculum for students in Wayzata, Minnesota, the public school district operates an early learning program, eight elementary schools, three middle schools, and a high school, each of which are highlighted here, along with a district calendar, a history of the district, and a directory that includes the district’s school board members, superintendent, and staff. Career and alumni opportunities and programs are included.
https://www.wayzataschools.org/