A Little Minnetonka History

Cottage Wood (yes originally 2 words)

Samuel Gale and Harlow Gale bought a small island in Lake Minnetonka in 1860. The sale price was $2.40. It was still a very good price, even for a very small island! They built a few cottages there and made them into summer homes. The island is just south of “Big Island”. The Gale brothers called it “Brightwood Island”, it is currently called Gale’s Island.

Later, In 1869 the Gales purchased 95 acres of land on a penninsula nearby. This is the section of Deephaven which is currently called “Cottagewood”. The parcels were divided and sold for $100 dollars per acre. The original parcels were actually large enough to have fronts facing the Lake, and opposite sides facing Carson’s Bay. The parcels are small now, crowding house upon house next to each other for some Lakefront.