Laserfiche WebLink
“A Spend-the-Day <br />Picnic Resort” <br />From here you would have seen one of the park’s <br />picnic kitchens surrounded by tree-shaded lawns <br />for spreading out a blanket and eating a sandwich. <br />Today, the hill on the left is almost completely <br />obscured by trees. <br />Ex <br />c <br />e <br />l <br />s <br />i <br />o <br />r <br />- <br />L <br />a <br />k <br />e <br /> <br />M <br />i <br />n <br />n <br />e <br />t <br />o <br />n <br />k <br />a <br /> <br />H <br />i <br />s <br />t <br />o <br />r <br />i <br />c <br />a <br />l <br /> <br />S <br />o <br />c <br />i <br />e <br />t <br />y <br />LAKE <br />MINNETONKA <br />LANDING <br />STAIRS <br />BIG <br />ISLAND <br />N <br />S <br />EW <br />YOU AREHERE <br />ROLLERCOASTER <br />AMUSEMENTSBUILDINGS <br />MUSICCASINO <br />WATERTOWER <br />BATHROOM <br />BATHROOM <br />PICNICKITCHEN <br />PICNICKITCHEN <br />DOCKS <br />BOATHOUSE <br />ICE HOUSE <br />MEN’SDORMITORY <br />WOMEN’SDORMITORY <br />DANCEPAVILION <br />MYSTICCHUTE <br />Well-outfitted kitchens made <br />the chore of laying out a picnic <br />much easier. Free of charge, <br />the kitchens provided stoves <br />for cooking, running water <br />for washing up, and ice for <br />keeping food cool. This kitchen <br />slowly fell into ruins and was <br />demolished in the late 1950s. <br />A fish-cleaning shack was built <br />on its foundation. <br />If you looked directly behind you, <br />you would have seen one end of <br />the roller coaster, pictured here in <br />about 1907. It was one of the most <br />prominent structures in the park, <br />visible from all over the island. <br />Groups like this one, photographed <br />in 1906, were the target audience <br />for Big Island Park. By creating a <br />picnic destination, the streetcar <br />company operating the park wanted <br />Twin Cities residents to buy tickets <br />and then spend a little more once <br />they got here. Unfortunately, not <br />enough picnickers came to keep it <br />open for more than a few years. <br />Mi <br />n <br />n <br />e <br />s <br />o <br />t <br />a <br /> <br />H <br />i <br />s <br />t <br />o <br />r <br />i <br />c <br />a <br />l <br /> <br />S <br />o <br />c <br />i <br />e <br />t <br />y <br />Ed <br />w <br />a <br />r <br />d <br /> <br />A <br />. <br /> <br />B <br />r <br />o <br />m <br />l <br />e <br />y <br />, <br /> <br />p <br />h <br />o <br />t <br />o <br />g <br />r <br />a <br />p <br />h <br />e <br />r <br />, <br /> <br />H <br />e <br />n <br />n <br />e <br />p <br />i <br />n <br /> <br />C <br />o <br />u <br />n <br />t <br />y <br /> <br />L <br />i <br />b <br />r <br />a <br />r <br />y <br />Big Island Park <br />1906–1911 <br />Big Island Veterans Camp <br />1921–2003