Take a Cruise to the Victorian Summer Retreat of a Chicago Beer Baron
Black Point Estate was built for Chicago Beer Baron, Conrad Seipp, in 1888 as a retreat, and in that spirit the home remains a place to relax, refresh, and explore. Just like the Victorian VIPs who established the estate, you’ll arrive in style and enjoy stunning Geneva Lake views on your cruise to this magnificent summer home, considered one of the finest examples of period architecture and furniture in the Midwest, and one of the oldest homes in Lake Geneva.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Get the Best Deal in History
Unlock incredible value for historic year-round fun!
All Wisconsin Historical Society members enjoy unlimited free admission to our 11 historic sites and museums, exclusive merchandise and special event discounts, a complimentary annual subscription to the Wisconsin Magazine of History and more. Join at the Family level and above for added benefits and discounts at over 1,200 organizations nationwide!
Black Point Estate and Gardens
Step into Gilded Age elegance at the 1888 Summer home of Chicago beer baron, Conrad Seipp. Guests enjoy a narrated boat ride to the property via the Lake Geneva Cruise Line, a guided tour of the mansion, & time to relax and sip Seipp beer on the veranda.
2026 is the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. Over the next 250 days we will be highlighting historic people, places or things from around Walworth County.
Up next is R. Harold Zook.
Zook was born in Indiana in 1889. He began working as an architect in Chicago after earning his degree in architecture and working on primarily residential buildings.
He originally began designing homes under Howard Van Doren Shaw, a builder of several homes in Lake Geneva, before he began working on his own. Zook mostly worked in Chicago and its suburbs but built homes across the country in his romantic and distinct architectural style.
In Lake Geneva, he built a Cotswold-style cottage known as Clear Sky Lodge.
Walworth@250 #25 ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
2026 is the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. Over the next 250 days we will be highlighting historic people, places or things from around Walworth County.
Up next is the village of Sharon.
The village of Sharon was one of the first communities in the state to receive the Main Street award, an economic development recognition of Wisconsin’s historic commercial districts. The village has two historic districts, one in the downtown area, the other encompasses Pearl and Grace Streets with their many restored Victorian homes.
Sharon’s Memorial Day tradition honors veterans with an Avenue of Flags placed at Oakwood Cemetery by community volunteers and school children. The Independence Day Parade marches through the village and ends with a Party in the Park including entertainment, bicycle races, pie eating contests and fireworks.
For three decades an Old-Fashioned Victorian Christmas event has invited everyone to step back in time to celebrate the holiday season at a lighted, horse-carriage parade and a community tree lighting ceremony.
Walworth@250 @24 ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
The Model A show moved out. It's now held in Clinton. What a shame.
Had Swedish pancakes at a restaurant there. Delicious.
2026 is the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. Over the next 250 days we will be highlighting historic people, places or things from around Walworth County.
Up next is Genoa (Junction) City.
The settlement of Genoa was platted in 1850 and named after a town in New York state which was named for the city in Italy. The settlement was renamed Genoa Junction due to the junction of two railroad lines, the Fox River Road and the Chicago Northwestern.
In 1852, an octagon house was built on Main Street. Of the 100 octagons built in Wisconsin, about a dozen are left. Fitzgerald’s eight-sided historic house has been known for its authentic fish boils and a unique gift shop since 1979.
If this name sounds familiar, the soap opera The Young and the Restless is set in a fictionalized version of Genoa City. The show's creators, William and Lee Phillip Bell, lived in Chicago and often traveled through Genoa City on their way to their vacation home in Lake Geneva.
Of Course, Genoa City is a Village…officially the “Village of Genoa City.
Walworth@250 #23 ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Love to go to Fitzgerald's for dinner!
Have always - many decades - been curious about this little town. Interesting mention of iconic television personality, Lee Philip, whose one- time home is still mentioned on the Lake cruises. I remember her show! This is a wonderful series, Black Point Estate and Gardens ! Thank you!
Fitzgerald's has a wonderful fish boil. Have been going there and in their first location in Twin Lakes since the early 80's.