Lake Minnetonka Real Estate » Lake Minnetonka Islands » Crane Island

Crane Island on Lake Minnetonka

Crane Island lies on West Upper Lake, west of Wawatasso Island and northwest of Eagle Island. It is a private, boat-access cottage community whose summer traditions are still central to its identity.

The birds before the cottages

The island's name came from the birds that nested here. Early residents called them cranes, although lake histories identify them as blue herons. Nineteenth-century visitors knew the island as a rookery, and excursion boats included it in their tours of the Upper Lake.

A severe storm in 1906 brought down trees and changed the island's course. Mrs. Charles Woodward and fellow church members organized the purchase and established a summer cottage community. The association and its cottages became the next chapter in a place previously known chiefly for its birds.

A summer community with staying power

The Crane Island Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Its significance rests in the cottages and the community they form together, with paths and boat landings tying the island's summer life to the lake.

This is private residential property, rather than a public park. For someone considering a cottage here, the association, the mainland landing and seasonal routines are as important as the building itself. Crane Island suits a particular way of spending time on the lake, and that is much of its appeal.

To discuss homes in this part of Lake Minnetonka, contact Daniel and Elisha Gustafson.