Wayzata Depot, Wayzata

For railroad buffs and historians alike, this small structure nestled near the shore of Lake Minnetonka is a must-see. Built in 1906, the wood and stucco English Tudor-styled station ended a dispute between the Wayzata community and James J. Hill's railroads. The conflict began in 1867 when the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, later known as the Great Northern Railway, laid the first track down the main street of Wayzata. As the resort town grew the boxcars and loading docks blocked traffic as well as the view of the lake. After Wayzata incorporated in 1883, the town sued and won the right to have the track moved. Hill retaliated by relocating the station and steamboat landing a mile away, thereby putting a damper on the tourist trade. In 1905, reconciliation was reached and Hill consented to rebuild the depot on its former site. The Wayzata station closed in 1971 and city offices, including the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce and the Wayzata Historical Society, occupy space in the lakeside landmark. The Wayzata Depot is open April through December.