wayzata history

For those of you who aren’t aware, Wayzata Legion Post 118 is named after a Wayzata man who died in World War I, Ernest Aselton.

He’s one of many Wayzatans who went off to war and never returned.

One of our boys who died in Vietnam.

His name is Thomas Koob - a 1963 Wayzata High School Grad.

Tom was very active in high school - he had a terrific voice and participated in the choir.

“His next love was hockey, which he played through college,” wrote Tom’s mother Vi in a letter years after Tom died. “Tom graduated from Wayzata High School and St. Cloud State College with a degree in retail marketing.”

On June 25, 1968, Tom was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He would come home on leave in November and then it was off to Vietnam. That was the last time his family saw him alive.

Tom’s mom Vi was a second grade teacher at the time. Her students sent Tom letters and he wrote back.

“Tom was so understanding and compassionate; I told him he should consider being a youth counselor,” wrote Vi.

During a firefight, Tom attempted to reach a man who had fallen. This was March 13, 1969. Despite being driven back by artillery fire, Tom reached the man only to find him dead. As he began carrying the man back, he was fatally wounded.

Tom was awarded the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf, the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Gallantry Cross, Military Merit Medal, and National Defense Medals.

He is buried in Summit Cemetery.

“After these many years, he is still loved and missed greatly,” wrote Vi.

Thomas Koob Courtesy Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

If you walk along Rice Street in between Walker Avenue and Broadway Avenue you’ll notice plaque. It’s on the north side across the street from the fire department. The Lake Minnetonka Historical Society does a great job of documenting what once stood in that area. The plaque tells the story of three churches on a hill.

Congregational Church of Christ

Back in 1881, the Congregational Church of Christ (image on left courtesy Lake Minnetonka Historical Society) was built on the corner of Rice and Walker. The church building was updated with structural work in 1911. Five years later the church burned down because of faulty electrical wiring. The church was resurrected in the same location in a similar style. Fast forward to 1949 - the congregation moved into a new building on the corner of Ferndale Road and Wayzata Boulevard. It’s new name - Wayzata Community Church. The original church at Rice and Walker continued to serve. In 1953, Wayzata Evangelical Free Church moved in. Later, in 1965, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Minnetonka used the space. The building now is home to Blue Water Theatre Company.

St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church

On Christmas Day, 1916, St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church was erected on the corner of Broadway and Wayzata Boulevard. It was a modest structure that seated 60 people. It was named for its founding pastor Rev. George Bartholomew Scheffold. Over the years, St. Bart’s made additions like a new rectory (1942) and a one-story school and convent (1955). A second story school addition was added in 1959 to serve elementary grades. The church expanded in 1989 to connect to the school and in 2007, it was enlarged and remodeled.

Redeemer Lutheran Church

Redeemer Lutheran Church came along in 1938. But by the early 1950s, it outgrew its growing congregation. The original church property at Rice and Broadway was sold to St. Bart’s to support its expansion. Redeemer built a new facility on the corner of Ferndale Road and Wayzata Boulevard across the street from Wayzata Community Church. Once again, they were neighbors! Back to that original structure built in 1938. It was actually sold and moved to the city of Crystal where it became the community’s first Lutheran church.