Eleven miles west of Minneapolis, Wayzata, the gateway to Lake Minnetonka, is the center of a growing trade area with a number of specialty shops, boutiques, professional services and restaurants, and boasts some of the metro area's most prestigious addresses. Long the city of choice for the Twin Cities' most influential businesses and community leaders, Wayzata is known as one of the most popular recreation spots in the state of Minnesota.
The name Wayzata (pronounced Wise-etta) is derived from the American Indian word "Waziyata." "Waziya" refers to the Sioux tribe's god of the North, a giant who blew the cold winds from his mouth. The addition of the suffix "ta" defines the word as "North Shore."
With a population of just over 4,000, Wayzata maintains a small town mystique while offering a viable downtown community. With a median household income of $106,758, more than double of the Minnesota household income ($44,722), and a median home price of $405,394, four times more than the rest of Minnesota, Wayzata has been ranked among the top 75 cities in the United States for luxury home sales, according to the 2006 Coldwell Banker® luxury home sales report.
Since Wayzata was founded over 150 years ago, residents and tourists have been charmed by the beauty of its setting. Its community nestles around scenic Wayzata Bay and looks out over the long expanse of historic Lake Minnetonka, with its sparkling blue waters, wooded and meandering shoreline, islands and many secluded bays. Wayzata is not a large community but the city is the center of a sizable and growing trade area of some 30,000 people, which includes the lakeshore communities to the west and part of the cities of Plymouth on the north and Minnetonka to the east.
The founding of the railroad in 1857 marked Wayzata's flowering point. After the Civil War, the tourist trade boomed. Wealthy Easterners, Southern aristocrats, even royalty and Presidents made their way to Lake Minnetonka, with unlimited amusements to fill their summers. Several large luxurious hotels were built to cater to those who flocked here, and steamboats dotted the lake.
Today, the crude wooden settlement has been replaced by beautiful homes, grand hotels and quaint shops and restaurants. If Wayzata is a town surrounded by intense suburban growth, it remains faithful to its small town roots: its architecture communicates an authenticity of a Midwestern town. A good deal of the residential architecture in Wayzata preserves the popular American house styles from the early 20th century, featuring stylistic influences such as Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Neoclassical and Craftsman. Traditional suburban cottages and bungalows typically have been expanded to feature modern amenities. Of course, lake shore mansions and estates can be found on Lake Minnetonka.
In addition to its charming architecture, Wayzata is known for its high-end recreational venues such as Wayzata Yacht Club and the Wayzata Country Club, which offers the largest country club youth tennis program in the metro area.
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