Close to Home

Last fall, as I made the seven-minute boat ride out to Big Island on Lake Minnetonka, I felt a wave of envy as I contemplated the four-hour journey to my cabin on Lake Vermilion. Here, in a tranquil bay close to the cities, an enclave of cabins hearkens back to an earlier era when mothers would take their children to the cabin for the entire summer. Life would change for those summer months, as school and work schedules gave way to late morning sleep-ins, wake-up dips in the lake, midday cookouts, and late-night Scrabble games.

For the past decade, Suzy and Peter Thiss and their three children have been recapturing that tradition, giving up the conveniences of city life for summers on Big Island. Packed into a 20-by-30-foot cottage, the family is soon reminded that life occurs outside. There are forts to be built, the turtle migration to be documented, eagles to be watched, and fish to be caught for dinner. But everything occurs in its own time—there are no schedules to meet, places to be, or complex rules to follow.

The Thiss family’s cottage, dubbed “Maple Knoll,” dates back to 1920 and may have been built from a kit. It’s a cozy space with just one bedroom; Suzy and Peter have their bed on the porch overlooking Lake Minnetonka, while their kids—ages 9, 11, and 13—have twin beds in the lone bedroom.

The cottage may not have all the comforts of home, but it does have the basics of running water, a propane tank, and electricity, which help facilitate a complete, albeit basic, kitchen. Life has its decidedly rustic side, however: Septic rules necessitate a backup Swedish composting toilet, while space necessitates that the bathtub be outside.

In the cottage’s early days, islanders could catch the daily ferry to and from the mainland and order groceries to be delivered. Now locals need their own personal launch to get to the island—although schlepping goods by pontoon boat is hardly a chore when it turns into a casual lake tour or a cocktail party.

For the Thiss family, none of the access and utility limitations alters the allure of the cottage. As soon as the ice goes out in spring, they begin eagerly packing and prepping for another summer of tranquil bliss.