A western suburb of the Twin Cities, Minnetonka is located about 10 miles (16 km) west of Minneapolis.

Since the mid-19th century, Minnetonka has evolved from heavily wooded wilderness through extensive farming and industrialization to its present primarily residential suburban character.

The Minnetonka area was home to the Dakota and Ojibwe Native American tribes before Euro-Americans arrived in the 1800s.

In 1851, the Dakota sold the area including Minnetonka to the United States with the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux.

The occupations of the remaining twelve are associated with the operations of Minnetonka Mill and a nearby hotel.

The sawmill that was constructed in the thick woods of maple, oak, elm, red cedar and basswood was the first privately operated mill in Minnesota west of the Mississippi River.

Oak timbers from this mill were used to build the first suspension bridge across the Mississippi River at Saint Anthony Falls in 1853.

A building for varnishing furniture was built on the south side of the creek, at the present Bridge Street.

The Charles H. Burwell House is now on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned by the city.

A grist mill built on Purgatory Creek was washed out in a flood shortly after construction.

Until as late as the 1960s, many portions of Minnetonka were still rural in character, with horse pasture and farms.

[6] The Minnetonka Town Hall, built in 1906, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Minnetonka is located 8 miles (13 km) west of Minneapolis, in Hennepin County.

[9] The headquarters of Cargill are located in Minnetonka and are in the Wayzata Post Office area.

Minnetonka is located in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, represented by Democrat Dean Phillips.

[24] The Millers play at Veterans Field, located on the campus of Minnetonka High School.