Susan Stielow is fond of a 1920s photo of the Brooks family, with the children dressed in sailor suits and playing on the lawn of their Lake Minnetonka home.
"They lived on Park Avenue and would take the train to Wayzata and cross the bay on the Minnetonka Belle to their summer home," Stielow said of the steamboat that transported vacationers across the lake.
That history is part of the charm of the lake-side Tudor Revival home currently owned by Stielow and her husband, John. The mansion was built by lumber businessman Dwight Brooks as a summer retreat for his family. Over the decades it became known as "the house with the mushroom roof" because its ivy-covered exterior resembled an English Cotswold cottage.
"People from the area tell me they would drive by as children and fantasize that the home was enchanted and a princess lived there," Susan said.
The home, which was built on a point, encompasses 2 1/2 acres and includes 180 feet of Wayzata Bay shoreline.
Showplace home
John Stielow bought the lake home from the Brooks family in 1973. Over the years, he and Susan undertook many improvements, including putting on a new cedar-shake roof in the thatched style of the original.
In 2006, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) chose the Stielows' residence as their showcase home. During the months-long makeover, 50 design professionals redecorated and renovated many of the rooms, keeping with the character of the home while updating the amenities.