Crane Island Historic District, Historic summer cottage district on Lake Minnetonka, United States.
Crane Island Historic District is a summer cottage community on an island in Lake Minnetonka with multiple residential buildings and shared facilities. The layout includes a tennis court, caretaker's lodge, and a central common area where residents gather and spend time together.
The settlement was founded in 1906 by twenty-five Presbyterian families as a summer retreat after a storm cleared much of the island's tree coverage. The cleared landscape proved ideal for building a planned community with shared spaces and individual properties.
The community welcomed residents from different backgrounds while keeping the original look of the cottages and shared spaces. Today this openness is visible in how people from various communities use the commons and live side by side.
The island is reachable only by private boat from Mound or Spring Park, and no vehicles are allowed on the island. Visitors should be prepared for limited access and plan their water transport in advance.
The entire development follows New England commons principles with a central gathering space surrounded by individual summer properties. This design creates a place where privacy and community life are tightly woven together.
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