Rich in history, Waconia’s roots are planted deep in the lake and land we call home!
Settlers
The first inhabitants of the Waconia area came from New Orleans, up the Mississippi River, over the Minnesota River to Carver’s Landing at Carver, Minnesota. From there, they followed Carver’s Creek to Burandt’s lake, and found their way through heavily wooded area to what is now Waconia.
The actual settlement of the area where Waconia is now located began as soon as the Indian title to the land was extinguished and a government survey made. Ludwig Sutheimer and Michael Scheidnagel are claimed to have been the first permanent settlers.
In 1857, a group of German settlers arrived to the fertile lands of Waconia Township and many remained permanently. Additional nationalities settling in the area were Bohemians, Swedes, and Swiss.