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.
Our next storytellers event at the Geneva Tap House is tonight, February 5th from 6-8PM!
Come here stories from Dan Freas, Justin Schafer, Chris Brookes and Maria DiCaprio.
These events are free and open to all. ... See MoreSee Less
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Our next storytellers event at the Geneva Tap House is February 5th from 6-8PM.
Come here stories from Dan Freas, Justin Schafer, Chris Brookes and Maria DiCaprio.
These events are free and open to all. ... 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 Northwestern Military Academy.
The Northwestern Military Academy was established in 1888 in Highland Park, Illinois. In 1915 it was relocated to the south shore of Geneva Lake.
The school was founded by Harlan Page Davidson. The school, on 42 acres of prime lakeside real estate, was created to train cadets.
The main building was called Davison Hall which served as a boarding house for the 100-200 year-round students and a main meeting place for all of the cadets. It was demolished in 2000.
In 1995 it merged with St John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin and the property was developed for residential use.
Walworth@250 #35 ... See MoreSee Less
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We toured this with our genealogy group a few years back. I took a bunch of pictures. The history behind it was great. It is a worth wile place to visit. It was the black point mansion we toured. This was Grandma's (not my grandma) summer house. The mansion. The person that gives the tours is great. He knows so much almost like he spent his whole life there.
I worked there the last six years it was open. The last several as Facilities Manager.
I loved the bagpipers in the local parades!
I was in school there.Many stories,many goog times!
My daughter had her wedding there in early 90’s on the lawn with reception and dancing inside…school was out for the summer…it was beautiful
I sat for my ACT exams there in the late '70s. I had a bad cold and did horribly! Ironically, I'm fighting with another bad cold today (no exams to take though)!
Trista Belanger the founders name 🐱
The local grade schools played them in sports. I remember as a Walworth Warrior playing football on the lakeside lawn and thinking how cool it was that their field was on the lake. I grew up knowing many cadets, who's families lived nearby the academy.
I live a block away from the old Academy and we miss it. We kept our sailboat there, went to football games and were even asked to be extras in Damien Omen II. The graduation scene parents were all hung over after drinking in the bar the night before and were asked if they wanted to be in the film as extras. We went to bad with taps at night and reveilee in the morning.
DAMIEN 🤣iykyk
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