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 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.
Walworth@250 #52 ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
So sad 😡
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.
Why wasn’t it on the list of the historical registry?
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 .
This one coming down really hurt. Such a gorgeous landmark on the lake
That was such a huge loss historically for the lake community- very sad to see it gone.
Very sad to see another historic home torn down
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!!
View more comments
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 film "The Golden Idiot!"
In 1917, Chicago’s Essanay Film Manufacturing Company came to town to film their newest silent film, The Golden Idiot.
Filming took place on John J. Mitchell’s estate Ceylon Court and The Wrigley estate of Green Gables. The cast and crew stayed at the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Hotel Geneva and were treated to the best of everything Geneva Lake had to offer.
While the Golden Idiot premiered to “rave” reviews in July of 1917 sadly there are no known copies of the film that survived.
Here is a summary of the film.
Uncle Woolwich, an eccentric millionaire, wills that his fortune be divided between his nephews, Barry Owen and Walter Woolwich, in proportion to the amount of money that each shall have saved at the time of their uncle's death. Walter, a broker, is prospering while Barry, a reporter, is penniless.
With his three-legged dog Pod, Barry starts out to make his fortune. Along the way, he meets Faith Fanshawe, whose car has broken down. Faith gives Barry fifty cents for repairing the machine, and he keeps the money in remembrance of the beautiful girl.
Next, Barry meets Jeffery Jarvis, a writer, who gives him shelter. Barry tells the writer his story and Jarvis takes him to his country club. Here Barry again meets Faith and rescues her from drowning.
Their friendship grows into love, but Barry is too poor to propose marriage. This situation is remedied when Uncle Woolwich dies at the time when Walter is swamped by the market and is half a million dollars in debt. By the terms of the will, Barry inherits a fortune, and with his new found wealth, marries Faith.
We also like to call this a typical day on Geneva Lake. ☺️
Walworth@250 #52 ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
We got over 2,000 reactions on our posts last week. This proves that people love local history.
Thanks everyone for your support! 🎉 ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook