Lake Minnetonka community guide · Reviewed October 2026
Deephaven’s resort and village history
The incorporated village
Deephaven’s 2024 municipal welcome booklet dates incorporation to July 9, 1900 and identifies Hazen J. Burton as the first mayor. Incorporation describes a local-government milestone, not the beginning of the area’s human history.
The name and the railway
The city’s historical account connects the Deephaven name to a book selected by Mrs. Burton for a railway station in 1892. This is the municipal account; it should not be expanded into an invented quotation or conversation. Rail access and resort development preceded the incorporated village.
A changing resort landscape
The same booklet dates Hotel St. Louis to 1879 and its demolition to 1907, followed by subdivision of the land for homes. It should not be described as a surviving hotel. For a particular historic property, check the building’s own records and any designation separately. A dated welcome booklet can support historical context without establishing that its listed officials, fees or schedules remain current.