Lake Minnetonka Real Estate » Lake Minnetonka Islands » Wawatasso Island

Wawatasso Island on Lake Minnetonka

Wawatasso Island lies south of Enchanted Island, between the waters of West Upper Lake and South Upper Lake. Crane Island is to the west, with Eagle Island to the southwest. Its wooded shoreline is one of the familiar landmarks north of Smithtown Bay.

Wawatasso and Boy Scout Island

The name has appeared in several forms: Wawatosa, Wawatossa and Wawataussa among them. An 1884 directory uses Wawataussa for L. D. Hodge's summer retreat. Later family accounts use Wawatossa. These are variations attached to the same island, rather than separate places.

An early twentieth-century scout camp gave it another familiar name, Boy Scout Island. Dunlap Island is also reported as an earlier name, although its placement on the original historical map still needs confirmation.

The island has its share of lake folklore. Older accounts connect the name with a rescue story and the phrase "little firefly," but the characters and details change from one version to another. Those stories belong to the island's literary history; they do not establish a biography or a settled translation.

A public island

Today, approximately 34 acres are managed as public parkland by Three Rivers Park District. Informal trails lead through the woods, and the island is designated for day use, with no overnight camping. Its natural shoreline contributes much of the setting enjoyed by nearby private waterfront homes.

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