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.
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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.
We are hiring for our 138th season!
Open positions include tour guide, custodian and office associate.
To apply visit wisc.jobs.
For more information IM us here.
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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 Ceylon Court.
Ceylon Court was a replica of the ruins of an ancient temple in Ceylon, an island off India now known as Sri Lanka.
It was constructed in 1893 for the Columbian Exposition and was made out of native teak and mahogany woods. The interior contained hand-painted walls depicting various aspects of the art, history, and religion of Ceylon.
The home was purchased by Frank Chandler, a Chicago real-estate tycoon, for his wife Anna, who saw the Singhalese Temple at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago and fell in love with it.
The building taken apart and was transferred to Lake Geneva by rail and rebuilt by architect Henry Lord Gay. The property was later bought by famous washing machine manufacturer, Fred Maytag in 1928.
The area is often referred to as Maytag Point. When Maytag died, the property went to his son who subdivided the residential acreage.
The main residence was razed in 1958. Only the gatehouse and boathouse remain today, used as separate private residences.
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So sad it’s gone.
I remember Ceylon Court; really neat.
Had tunnel pier to house basement
Were the Mitchell’s killed in a car crash??? Picture #3?
The question is the Maytag family if they lived in Newton, Iowa and travelled all the way to Lake Geneva in an era where most distance travel was done by railroad. So they took a train from Newton, Iowa to Chicago and changed trains in Chicago to go to Lake Geneva. Sounds like a full day of RR travel each way. I would imagine they had a private car and probably a private engine to do all this RR time ?? I am sure some historic railroad fan can correct me on the routing from Newton to Lake Geneva during that era.
How many people know that the pond in the state park across the road from Big Foot Beach was the same shape as the shape of Lake Geneva and it was a part of the original Maytag estate ?? There are some remnants of the Maytag estate in the Lake Geneva historical museum---a very interesting place to visit to update your Lake Geneva historical knowledge.
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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 Villa Hortensia.
One of Lake Geneva’s most beloved buildings, Villa Hortensia, was built by renowned architect Howard van Doren Shaw in the Italian Renaissance style between 1906 and 1907. The extensive landscaping was designed by the Olmsted Brothers.
The home was originally constructed for Chicago’s meat-packing industry tycoon Edward Swift who named the house after his wife Hortense. Villa Hortensia was built on 20 acres of land and contains over 40 rooms.
The estate stood until 2023 and was one of the handful of historic buildings left standing in Lake Geneva until its new owners decided to demolish it.
However, the entire interior and exterior of the estate was visually cataloged before demolition so that Villa Hortensia can continue to be appreciated.
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This one coming down really hurt. Such a gorgeous landmark on the lake
Why wasn’t it on the list of the historical registry?
That was such a huge loss historically for the lake community- very sad to see it gone.
So sad 😡
Very sad to see another historic home torn down
That house was beautiful! I grew up in a house in Phoenix, AZ that is very similar to this. Our house was built in 1929 and is on the Histoircal Registry. It’s heartbreaking that people destroyed this historic home.
Here she is from my Lake Path walk in 2021.
I'm still in shock that they razed it; so senseless.
What is, when people have too much money....
Beautiful house on the lake. Too bad it’s gone.
was that Geldermann’s at one time??
Yep I went through that house they were having an estate sale and me and my dad went threw it with the caretaker.
Most of the old homes have been torn down and big ugly Mc mansions put up in there place .
That is a shame! Does anyone have new pictures of what the new owners built?
What a bunch of idiots for tearing it down
A beautiful house, what a waste to demolish it!!
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