Wayzata, Minnesota

Wayzata, Minnesota
City
Downtown Wayzata, October 2011
Seal
Location of Wayzata within Hennepin County, Minnesota
Coordinates: 44°58′27″N 93°30′24″W / 44.97417°N 93.50667°W / 44.97417; -93.50667Coordinates: 44°58′27″N 93°30′24″W / 44.97417°N 93.50667°W / 44.97417; -93.50667
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Hennepin
Founded	1850s
Incorporated	1883
Government
• Mayor	Ken Willcox
Area[1]
• City	3.16 sq mi (8.18 km2)
• Land	3.08 sq mi (7.98 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2)
Elevation	942 ft (287 m)
Population (2010)[2]
• City	3,688
• Estimate (2012[3])	3,777
• Density	1,197.4/sq mi (462.3/km2)
• Metro	3,279,833
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	55391
Area code(s)	952
FIPS code	27-68818[4]
GNIS feature ID	0653868[5]
Website	www.wayzata.org

Wayzata (/waɪˈzɛtə/ wy-ZET-ə) is a city on Lake Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, a western suburb of Minneapolis. The name Wayzata is derived from the American Indian word Waziyata which means "North Shore". Wayzata came into existence in the center of Chief Shakopee's Indian village. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,688.^[2] Wayzata has a growing economy and top rated schools ^[6]

History

Early settlement

The first people to settle on the land around Lake Minnetonka were the Mdewakanton Dakota, a major division of the Sioux nation. They treasured the "Big Water" as an endowed hunting and fishing ground and protected this land from the rival Chippewa tribe, who were known as Ojibway.^[7] While these natives had been living off the land for many years prior, in 1803 the land was claimed by France, who sold it to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The nearest Euro-American settlement then was Fort Snelling, and it wasn't until the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux was signed in 1851 that the lands west of the Mississippi River were opened for land claims to be filed. Although today the Sioux are no longer living on the land, their legacy lives on in the name of the city. The name Wayzata is derived from the American Indian word Waziyata, which had almost a mystical connotation to the Sioux tribes who originally inhabited the area. Waziya was their god of the North, a giant who blew the cold winds from his mouth. With the suffix ta added, the name meant "North Shore."^[8]

In 1852, two pioneer families settled on the present site of Wayzata, one of them being the family of Oscar E. Garrison. He built a cabin at what is now Lake Street and Broadway Avenue in downtown Wayzata. In 1854 he drew a survey of the area and filed his claim for most of what is now Wayzata proper. In 1855, Wayzata had an influx of settlers who built a sawmill, a hotel and a blacksmith shop. Most of these early settlers made their living off the land by clear cutting the trees to grow corn and wheat. But, in 1857, this growing economy was nearly terminated by a grasshopper plague. At the time, ginseng roots were in great demand as an aphrodisiac in the Orient and the eastern forests had been exhausted of their supply. When ginseng was discovered in the remaining hard wood forest which had been left standing, these trees being too great a distance from the lake to float down stream to the sawmill, Wayzata became a collection center for the roots discovered around the lake.

Resort town era

With commercial traffic by steamboats becoming common on Lake Minnetonka, Wayzata's position to St. Paul assured growth for the city. After the Civil War, vacationers from the south began enjoying cool breezy summers at the lake and the era of the resort arrived. In 1867, the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (today's BNSF Railway) extended its tracks to Wayzata, making Wayzata the transportation hub of the area. James J. Hill, who would later have a major role in Wayzata's history, was at the time a St. Paul freight agent for the railroad. With numerous trains scheduled for activities in the area, hotels quickly popped up around the lake, one being built where Garrison's cabin had been, called the Maurer House-West Hotel. Boating, fishing, and picnicking would bring twenty thousand vacationers west, who would stay at seventeen hotels that were scattered around the 99 miles (159 km) of the lakeshore. Transporting the vacationers from the railroad landing in Wayzata to the hotels were large paddlewheel boats, some able to accommodate as many as 3,300 passengers. This era, the beginning of "The Gilded Age" reached its peak in 1882 when Hill, now owning the railroad he had renamed The Great Northern, built the 800 room Lafayette Hotel in Minnetonka Beach, a few miles further down the tracks.

Cottage era

By 1890, the height of the resort era on Lake Minnetonka had been reached. A nationwide financial depression and the migration of tourists to newer resort territory gradually transformed Wayzata and a new era began when the tourists moved on. Summer cottages began appearing along the shores, even on the grounds of the grand hotels. The cottage builders needed building materials, and then provisions when they moved in. In 1881 Wayzata broke away from Minnetonka Township and became a separate governmental entity, mainly as a reaction to the roaring tourist-resorter lifestyle. Feeling their new power, the first act of the village council was to ban the saloons, and the second would have a more profound impact: they started a fight with James J. Hill to get the railroad tracks moved from downtown. An 1883 town law required the tracks be relocated 300 feet (91 m) from the shoreline. Hill ignored the law, then in 1889 the council filed a lawsuit to force Hill to comply. Hill responded that he had state law on his side, and if they continued with their suit not only would he win, but he would make the town walk a mile for twenty years to catch a train. In 1891, the Minnesota Supreme Court denied the legality of the law, and Hill, as promised, moved the station to flat land beneath today's Bushaway Road railroad bridge. Wayzata was literally taken off the map, and for the next fifteen years the town barely grew. In 1905, the village council voted a Reconciliation Ordinance, and Hill responded that he would have the finest railroad station on his entire line built in Wayzata.

As the cottage era continued, downtown Wayzata became mostly residential, with small commercial centers at each end of Lake Street. The following era was again recreational, based on motorboats. By the 1920, motorboating was the rage, and once again Wayzata was at the center, with two nationally famous boat makers building speedboats located on the shore of Lake Minnetonka. Weekends brought thousands of spectators to the lake to watch the boats race, and many of the visitors realized they could be happy living in Wayzata.

In the 1930s, today's U.S. Route 12 had just reached Wayzata as a hard surfaced road, and realtor Sam Batson was praising the benefits of buying a summer cottage and modifying it for year-around living. The population nearly doubled in that decade, and Wayzatans were fortunate when one of their own, Rufus Rand, stepped forward to lead the town as it met the challenges of modernizing the infrastructure of a summer village. Under Mayor Rand, water and sewer service was provided to every building (lifting quite a burden off the lake), street lights were installed to light the newly hard-surfaced town roads, and the city public beach and park was opened.

As World War II approached Wayzata became a city with locally provided jobs and retailers that provided all of a family's needs. The boat building era was ending and homebuilding was starting to grow. During the war, wooden 8-man boats built in Wayzata were used by American soldiers to cross Europe's many rivers, and dairy farming became a large local activity. At wars end these farms were being converted into single-family housing sites. Highway 12 was widened to four lanes, and the population swelled with commuters who worked in Minneapolis. Downtown residences were replaced by more stores serving not only Wayzata but the new families moving onto the former farmlands outside of Wayzata. Longtime locals were still the only candidates for public offices and the need for more schools was a growing concern. During the summers the lake continued to draw people for boating and fishing activities. Wayzata became a charter city at the same time people began considering it as part of the Minneapolis metropolitan area.

Small city to suburb

In the 1950s, Wayzata doubled in size when it annexed land from Minnetonka, Plymouth and Orono.^[7] Shopping centers were built to meet the daily needs of the residents, while the downtown shops focused on fashion and service businesses.

Geography

Wayzata is a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota situated 11 miles to its west on the northeast tip of Lake Minnetonka. ^[9] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.16 square miles (8.18 km²), of which 3.08 square miles (7.98 km²) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km²) is water.^[1] The "land cover types" that compose the Wayzata area in descending order by square acreage are open water at 36%; residential areas, farmsteads, and commercial lands at 35%; forest at 13%;  and lastly are farms at 8%.^[10]

Climate

Wayzata's climate is referred to as "humid continental", which is known for having hot summers and cold winters with moderate autumns and springs.  Average summer temperatures range between 56-82 degrees Fahrenheit.  Average Winter temperatures range between 2-27 degrees Fahrenheit.  The average amount of rainfall is 30.4 inches, and the average amount of snowfall is 54.4 inches.^[11]

Ecology

Before it was settled by colonists, the Wayzata area was largely "upland deciduous forest, with small inclusions of wet prairie and lakes."  ^[10] Forest types typical in and around Wayzata have been "maple-basswood forest, oak forest, lowland hardwood forest, and floodplain forest. Non-native forest types within the city were predominantly disturbed second growth forest types made up of elm, box elder, ash, cottonwood, with occasional basswood, maple, and oak." ^[10][12]  Some of the species of plant that are considered invasive in the Wayzata area are "Purple Loosetrife, Narrow-leaf Cattail, Common Buckthorn, Leafy Spurge, Tartarian Honeysuckle, Garlic mustard, Reed Canary Grass, Siberian elm, and Amur Maple." ^[10]  Alternately, some rare native species have also been spotted in Wayzata including the "Acadian Flycatcher, Pugnose Shiner, and Red-shouldered hawk." ^[10]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1890	273		—
1900	276		1.1%
1910	492		78.3%
1920	633		28.7%
1930	1,100		73.8%
1940	1,473		33.9%
1950	1,791		21.6%
1960	3,219		79.7%
1970	3,700		14.9%
1980	3,621		−2.1%
1990	3,806		5.1%
2000	4,113		8.1%
2010	3,688		−10.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 3,688 people, 1,795 households, and 944 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,197.4 inhabitants per square mile (462.3 /km²). There were 2,041 housing units at an average density of 662.7 per square mile (255.9 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.5% White, 3.0% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 1,795 households of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.4% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.80.

The median age in the city was 47.8 years. 19.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.7% were from 25 to 44; 31.9% were from 45 to 64; and 22.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 4,113 people, 1,929 households, and 1,041 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,292.6 persons per square mile (499.4/km²). There were 2,047 housing units at an average density of 643.3 per square mile (248.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.11% White, 0.41% African American, 0.32% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

There were 1,929 households out of which 20.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 39.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $65,833, and the median income for a family was $96,859. Males had a median income of $51,000 versus $39,257 for females. The per capita income for the city was $63,859. None of the families and 2.3% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 5.0% of those over 64.

Economy

Corporate headquarters

The regional bank TCF is based in Wayzata. The corporate headquarters for Cargill, Inc. is located in Wayzata.^[13]

Infrastructure

The United States Postal Service maintains a post office in Wayzata, which is assigned the 55391 ZIP code. Although this ZIP code serves an area much larger than the city of Wayzata and includes seven other municipalities around eastern Lake Minnetonka, all locations in the ZIP code area use the name "Wayzata" in their postal addresses.^[14]

Education

Wayzata Public Schools are part of the Independent School District 284 and serve all or portions of eight west suburban municipalities (Plymouth, Corcoran, Hamel, Maple Grove, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minnetonka, and Orono). The district covers 38 square miles (98 km²) and extends north and east from Wayzata Bay on Lake Minnetonka and lies approximately eight miles west of Minneapolis. There are approximately 9,510 students enrolled in seven public elementary schools (K-5), three middle schools (6–8), and one high school (9–12). Some students attend public schools in other school districts chosen by their families under Minnesota's open enrollment statute.^[15] Wayzata is also home to the Highcroft campus of The Blake School (K–5).

Schools in the Wayzata School District
Elementary schools	Middle schools	High School
Sunset Hill	West Middle School	Wayzata High School
Plymouth Creek	Central Middle School
Oakwood	East Middle School
Kimberly Lane
Greenwood
Gleason Lake
Birchview

Parks and recreation

Dakota Rail Regional Trail

The Dakota Rail Trail is a 13.5 mile long paved regional trail. In Hennepin County, the trail winds around Lake Minnetonka through Wayzata, Orono, Minnetonka Beach, Spring Park, Mound, Minnetrista and St. Bonifacius. Later, in Carver County, the trail was extended by 12.5 miles to Mayer. The trail is managed my the Three River Park District.^[16] The trail is a converted railroad bed formerly owned by Dakota Rail. In 2001, the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRSA), Carver and McLeod counties purchased the 44 mile corridor. At a cost of $5.9 million, construction of the trail started in 2009. By June 2009, the city of Mound held the Grand Opening for the trail. The trail offers parking and amenities.^[17]

Wayzata Beach

The Wayzata Beach is located in downtown Wayzata on Lake Minnetonka. The beach is open to the public and has permit and non-permit parking. There is a lifeguard on duty mid-June to mid-August when the temperatures are above 65 degrees. The beach features:

• A sandy beach and grassy peninsula
• Shaded picnic areas
• Playground equipment
• Canoe racks
• Stand Up Paddleboard Rentals ^[18]
• Volleyball court
• Boat slips
• Playing fields ^[19]

Popular culture and people

The television show Lost featured a major character named Ben Linus, who had assumed the identity of a Henry Gale from Wayzata, who died sometime after crashing on the mystery island in a hot air balloon.

In the 1996 movie Fargo, William H. Macy's character intends on purchasing a parking lot in Wayzata.

In the 1990s TV show Beverly Hills, 90210, Brandon Walsh (Jason Priestly) and Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) moved to California from Wayzata. On the show, they both incorrectly pronounce the city saying "Way-za-da" instead of "Why-zet-ta."

Much of the movie Drop Dead Gorgeous (featuring Kirsten Dunst, Kirstie Alley, Denise Richards, and Ellen Barkin) was filmed in Wayzata including scenes at West Middle School, the Wayzata VFW, and 634 Park Street.

Notable people

• Tim Herron, American professional golfer; resides in Wayzata.^[20]
• James Laurinaitis, NFL linebacker for the St. Louis Rams.
• John Sharpless, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.^[21]
• Douglas J. Dayton, the first president of Target department stores when the chain was created more than five decades ago. Today the company is run under the name Target Corporation. He passed away on 5 Jul 2013.^[22]

Social Life

Combining the community tradition with various activities, Wayzata provides events for all ages. A major activity that local communities participate in is James J. Hill Days. ^[23] Since 1975, the weekend following Labor Day in Wayzata has been dedicated to honoring James J. Hill, a Minnesota historic figure and once owner of the Great Northern Railroad Company.^[24] Hill built for Wayzata the Burlington Northern Route. In 1972, Burlington Northern deeded the building to the city and now this building is registered as one of the National Historic places.^[24] Besides the importance of historic activities, Wayzata is well known for sport events. One of those is the Junior Olympic Sail Festival that occurs every summer from June to July.^[25]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wayzata, Minnesota.

• City of Wayzata
• Wayzata Historical Siciety
• Wayzata Yacht Club
• Wayzata Public Schools
• Wayzata.com
• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Wayzata, Minnesota
• Minnesota Garden Railway Society
• Wayzata Community Sailing Center
• James J Hill Days
• Lakeshore Weekly News

v t e Municipalities and communities of Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States County seat: Minneapolis Cities Bloomington Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Park Champlin Chanhassen‡ Corcoran Crystal Dayton‡ Deephaven Eden Prairie Edina Excelsior Golden Valley Greenfield Greenwood Hanover‡ Hopkins Independence Long Lake Loretto Maple Grove Maple Plain Medicine Lake Medina Minneapolis Minnetonka Minnetonka Beach Minnetrista Mound New Hope Orono Osseo Plymouth Richfield Robbinsdale Rockford‡ Rogers Shorewood Spring Park St. Anthony‡ St. Bonifacius St. Louis Park Tonka Bay Wayzata Woodland Unorganized territory Fort Snelling Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties