300505 - Ten Thousand Lakes: Minnetonka

I have not yet located the continuity for this broadcast, so I only have the press releases to work with.

This show featured the Old Timer and an event at Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. Long before Glacier National Park was formed, tourist facilities were constructed there, and the railroad even made it that far west, well-to-do summer vacationers were flocking to the relative cool of Minnesota’s lake region. It is, after all, the land of ten thousand lakes.

Dating back to before the Great Northern Railway even came into existence, James J. Hill was making his mark on the Pacific Northwest. At the helm of the St. Paul, Minneapolis, & Manitoba Railroad, Hill was behind the construction of an enormous hotel on Lake Minnetonka. The Hotel Lafayette, opened to guests on July 2, 1882, was the largest hotel ever built on the lake. It was five stories tall and over 700 feet long, boasting something on the order of 300 guest rooms. That magnificent structure succumbed to fire and was destroyed in 1897. Many other smaller but no less popular resort facilities flourished in the vicinity of Lake Minnetonka.

Old lithograph of the Hotel Lafayette on Lake Minnetonka. Note the St.P.M.&M. passenger train entering the view from the left. Passengers were brought from the Twin Cities right to the front of the hotel.

The story told on this episode of Empire Builders was written by a member of the McJunkin advertising agency, Henry S. Bokhof.  The story entailed the final dress rehearsal for a historical pageant. Here is the blurb about the program from a Great Northern radio series pamphlet:

The Old Pioneer gets all tangled up in a historical pageant which is being staged by summer visitors at Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. This program will be largely musical and the Old Pioneer’s dexterity in extricating himself from embarrassing situations will provide humorous highlights.

The April, 1930, edition of the Great Northern Goat reported:

H.S. Bokhof, a member of the McJunkin staff, is the author of a musical comedy—burlesque—historical program, featuring the first run of the Wm Crooks and Minnesota's lakes, which will be broadcast May 5.

 

This string-tied souvenir was prepared by the Passenger Department of the Great Northern Railway and given to participants of an 1891 gala banquet attended by members of the National Editorial Association. Author's collection.

Finally, the San Antonio Express reported the following details about the broadcast:

Empire Builders Present Historical Pageant

A historical pageant, staged by the summer visitors at Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, forms the background of the Empire Builders sketch to be broadcast over WOAI Monday at 8:30 p. m.

The "Old Pioneer" gets all tangled up in the activities, but his dexterity in extricating himself from embarrassing situations will provide the humor of the broadcast. Harvey Hays and Virginia Gardiner have the leading roles in the presentation.

 

Early souvenir booklet issued by GN-predecessor St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba Railroad. Author's collection. 

Until next week, keep your dial tuned to Empire Builders!