10-27-1986 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Big Island Veterans Camp occupies some 58 acres on the east end of Big Island in Lake Minnetonka. From the turn of the century to 1909, the Twin City Rapid Transit Company operated it as an amusement park. It had t,i7.za a d3; concerts, picnic areas, and amusements such as a roller coaster, Old Mill, and carousel. It entertained as many as 15,000 persons on a weekend. They were transported to the island from Excelsior on one of Six 800 passenger steamers that were built by the streetcar company to resemble their streetcars. The round trip, including admission to the park, was a dime. If you had a proper transfer, even that charge was skipped. Express streetcars ran every 10 minutes on Saturdays and Sundays from Minneapolis to Excelsior. The streetcar company lost some $250,000 on the venture and closed the park. Some of the steamers were scuttled in the 90 foot depths of the lake. In about 1920, an official of the streetcar companN.. offered the use of the island and its facilities for a camp site for the soldiers recuperating at Asbury Hospital. For the next few years, an ad hoc committee operated the camp. In 1923 a law was passed establishing a Board of Governors, appropriating $10,000 for each of the next two years, and authorizing the State Board of Control to lease 50 to 100 acres for use as a disabled veterans rest camp. In 1924, Mr. and Mrs Emil Berg were hired as managers. They rem2ined in th.1t resi`i n thr^uj! 1c77 . the years that followed 192,, cabins and a large recrea••.ion-dininq hall were built. In 1929, what is now Minnesota Statute 197.19 was passed, allowing counties to appropriate $9,000 per year for veterans rest camps for needy veterans. In 1931, Minnesota Statute 197.19 was added, allowing large counties to appropriate S3,000 annually to such camps. The state continued iv appropriate S;j,000 annually to the camp. In 1941, Minnesota Statute 197.13 was amended to authorize the State Board of Control to purchase a veterans rest camp. In 1947, the law was amended, authorizing the Board of Governors to purchase that part of Big Island speciflcally, defining the powers of the Board and its Chariman, and placing the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs in charge of any state appropriations to the camp; virtually the form of the statute today. On May 9, 1947, the Board of Governors purchased the camp from the Minnetonka and White Bear Navigation Company (apparently a subsidiary of the streetcar company) for S25,000. Through the 1960's the camp continued to provile an inexpensive one or two week vacation to disabled and other veterans during its June 15 to Labor (gay season.