Barletta Boat Club Tour 3 Cook's & Halstead's Bay

If you’ve ever sailed, boated, or paddled past a vintage boathouse on Lake Minnetonka and wondered what their story is, our Barletta Boat Club events are your opportunity to find out more. Each event is an on-water tour that will consist of roughly 5-10 stops offering an insider's point of view into the history of the enchanting lakeside retreat nestled on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. You may have seen the book Boathouse of Lake Minnetonka and Legendary Homes of Lake Minnetonka, we use these books as a resource and basis for our tours.

Lake Minnetonka is a collection of 37 lakes and bays, 42 including other small off-shoots. Most are connected to each other by channels. We will meet our Barletta’s in an appointed bay to start the tour in the evening at 6PM each Tuesday. The tours will last roughly an hour and a half and go until 7:30PM. Each tour is free to join and includes a digital audio recording of the history of the boathouse and a PDF document with interior photos of the stunning boathouse. Afterwards there is an optional social hour at one of the restaurants on the lake. The events will be held twice a month during the months of June, July and August. For more information or to sign up please email curt@wayzatamarine.com

Stop #1 Cooks Bay

Cook's Bay is named after Mathias Cook, one of Lake Minnetonka's earliest settlers. In 1854, Cook built the third log cabin on Upper Lake near Mound City and created a primitive hostel called Cook's House. By 1857, there were nine families living in the area. Two years later, a group of locals met in Cook's cabin and created a new township. According to the lake lore, the pioneers named in Minnetrista, meaning "crooked water," after the many oddly shaped lakes in the area.

Stop #2 The Smaby Boathouse

In 1921, Martin and Florence Smaby bought a piece of land on Priest's Bay in Mound. In 1923, the Smabys built a home on the property, crafted of stone, brick and stucco with steep gables. According to lake lore, the Smabys' "retreat" room was one of two speakeasies on Highland Boulevard and was a popular gathering place for politicians, VIPs and A list celebrities including the Andrews Sisters & Babe Ruth.

Stop #3 Halstead’s Bay

Halstead's Bay is named after the settler Frank W. Halsted, who migrated to its shores in 1855. He built a cabin on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, on what is now known as Halstead Bay, in his honor. Captain Halsted served in the Navy during the Civil War with distinction and then returned to the area and built a larger cabin, which was called "the Hermitage" by area residents. Captain Halsted was the Justice of the Peace and solemnized the first marriage in Minnetrista. The Hermitage was an often visited site, as Captain Halsted and the house itself were intriguing to all visitors.

Stop #4 The Cove

This rare opportunity is only available today because of Curt Carlson’s desire, almost 50 years ago, to save this lakeshore property as a family retreat. In the 1960’s Curt Carlson bought this site with the thought that someday in the future it would be a great place for the next generation of Carlson’s to live. Curt held the property for several decades, during which he would visit this site with his family for picnics and on a few occasions, he entertained development plans for this property, but nothing happened until recent years. Now, This uniquely designed neighborhood includes numerous amenities and covers 490 acres — 150 acres of which are permanent and protected open space. Join your neighbors for a bonfire, or party at the private clubhouse and pool. Meet at the playground or hike the 12 miles of private trails and sidewalks that link the neighborhood and adjacent regional parks.

Stop #5 The O’Neil Boathouse

Of all of Lake Minnetonka's many landmarks, the red boathouse that points the way to Enchanted Island is one of the most charming. The O’Neill’s believe the boathouse was built in the early 1900s by a Scandinavian immigrant who lived in it while he built a home on the hill above the water. Before he retired, Gerry O' Neill used the boathouse as his office, complete with a mini fridge and hammock.

Photo's and information from 'Boathouses of Lake Minnetonka', book by Karen Melvin and Melinda Nelson