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HIcT,•,,,{ OF 913 1S'.A D '/c-F ,af15 C= ? C-N L.-
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<br />Big Island Veterans Camp occupies some 58 acres on the east end of Big
<br />Island in Lake Minnetonka. From the turn of the century to 1909, the Twin City
<br />Rapid Transit Company operated it a., an amusement park. it has td",ze -, Ca,
<br />c(ince n s, picnic ar-eas, and amusements such as a roller coaster, Old Mill,
<br />ant! carousel. It entertained as many as 15,000 persons on a weekend. They
<br />wer') irans;�:Ir'.ed to the island from Excelsior on one of six 800 passenger
<br />steamers that were built by the streetcar company tcresemble their streetczrs.
<br />The round trip, 'ncludi.70 admission to the park, was a ,Ie. If you had a
<br />proper transfer, even that charge was skipped. [,press streetcars ran every 10
<br />minutes on Saturdays and Sundays from Minneapolis to Excelsior. The streetcar
<br />company lost some $250,000 on the venture and closed the park. Some o4 the
<br />steamers were scuttled in the 90 foot depths of tho lake.
<br />In about 1920, an official of the streetcar company offered the use of the
<br />island and its facilities for a camp sita for the soldiers rc.uperatinQ at
<br />Asbury Hospital. For the next few years, an ad hoc ^_crrmittee operated the camp.
<br />In 1923 a law was passed establishing a Board of L-)vernors, appropriating $10,000
<br />fvr each of the next two years, and authorizing the State Board of Control to lease
<br />50 to 100 acres for use as a disabled veterans rest camp. In 1924, Mr. and Mrs.
<br />Emil Berg were hi-ed as managers. Thtry regained is -. ,,. ;csi Lhru 1�77. r
<br />the years that followed 1924, cabins and a large recrea'•ion-dininq hall were built.
<br />In 1929, what is now Minnesota Statute 197.19 was passed, allowing cop^ties to
<br />appropriate $9,000 per year for veterans rest camps for needy veterans. In 1931
<br />Minnesota Stat,. o- '1.19 was added, allowing large counties to appropriate
<br />S3,000 annually to :uch camps. The state continued to apprcpriate V 0,0v0
<br />annually to the camp.
<br />In 1941, Minnesota Statute 197.13 was amended to authorize the St; oard
<br />of Control to purchase a veterans rest camp. In 1947, the law was amender.,
<br />authorizing the Board of Governors to purchase that part of Big Island specific.11y,
<br />defining the powers of the Board ane its Chariman, and plat he C,moissioner
<br />of Veterans Affairs in charge: of any state appropriations to •N camp; virtually the
<br />form of the stature today. On May 9, 1947, the Board of Governors purch,)sed the
<br />camp from the Minnetonka and White Bear Nnvirjation Company (3pN:i�Mr:t:y _ �u:SiJiar,
<br />of the; streetcar company) fr,r S25,000.
<br />Through the 1960' : the camp coati ^.ued to prov i,;e an i r,��pens i ve one or two
<br />week vacation to disabled and other veterans during its Jur•' 15 to labor ray season.
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