Mansions best seen by boat or foot
By TERI WILKUS - editorial@nwherald.com
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| Tom Nachreiner of Delafield, Wis., paints the fountain outside Golden Oaks Mansion in Lake Geneva.
(Lauren M. Anderson – landerson@nwherald.com) |
After the Great Chicago Fire left the heart of the city in smoldering ruins in 1871, the wealthy had to find a new place to live while reconstruction took place.
Lake Geneva, Wis., proved to be the perfect site.
The masters of commerce, including wealthy chewing gum entrepreneur William Wrigley, flocked to the area, about 80 miles northwest of the city. The sparkling clear water and largely untouched land allowed the super-rich to build enormous summer homes, many of which still stand, said Lisa Marshall, public relations coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.
Some of the mega-mansions that adorn Geneva Lake’s shores include an 18,000-square-foot Italianate palace that cost more than $1 million to build in 1900, a Queen Anne-style mansion that boasts a four-story crow’s nest, and an ornate white mansion with 14-foot-high ceilings with gold scrollwork running throughout its rooms.
“Lake Geneva is unique in that there are lots of estates and mansions that were built on the lake in the late 1800s.” said Ellen Burling, office manager of Lake Geneva Cruise Line, which gives tours about the lakefront mansions. “Many have interesting histories and just beautiful estates.”
One of the oldest estates in Lake Geneva is the Golden Oaks Mansion at 421 Baker St. This massive Italianate estate was built in 1856 by Chicago surgeon Dr. Philip Maxwell, who is known as the father of Lake Geneva after he subdivided the original 462-acre lot into 5-acre parcels to create the town, owner Nancy Golden Waspi said.
“It’s in really good shape; there’s no architecture like it,” Golden Waspi said. “When you look at it, it’s wow. It’s this big ornate white mansion, and all of the original rooms are still the same.”
The mansion now is an upscale bed-and-breakfast and a tapas restaurant.
The Black Point Estate, nestled alongside pine trees along the lake’s shore, is equally impressive. The Queen Anne-style nautical-themed mansion has a four-story observation tower that can be seen from the lake’s shore. This 20-room mansion can be reached only by boat, though. The Lake Geneva Cruise Line runs tours to the historic site for $34.
“It’s a boat tour that gives a history of the lake, and it tours [Black Point Estate], a home that was built in 1888.” Burling said. “The only way to get to the house is by boat, so they get the authentic experience of going to the house like that.”
The estate was built as a summer home for Conrad Seipp, who made his fortune through brewing factories on Chicago’s south side after the Great Chicago Fire.
There are only two ways to really catch a good glimpse of Geneva Lake’s fancy homes – either by boat or by foot.
For adventurous people ready for a challenge, the city has a 21-mile path that runs along the shore, literally through the mansion’s backyards.
Vacationers beware, though. The path is kept up by property owners, so bathrooms are scarce and the terrain varies widely.
“[The public walking trail is] a really neat way to see some of the homes up close,” Marshall said. “Some homeowners just think it’s great and make the path very welcoming; other people don’t make it clear where the path is.”
The Lake Geneva Cruise Line offers vacationers a variety of boat tours, besides the Black Point cruise, that give people a close-up view of the impressive properties. Tours cost between $20 and $40, Burling said.
“No matter which type of tour you take, which is really the only way to see the homes, you’re getting a unique look at the homes,” Burling said. “There is a public access path along the lake, but really the best way to see them is from the boat.”
