Black Point Estate

This beautiful sunny morning Tom & I took a cruise on Geneva Lake. After about an hour of cruising we had the option to hop off at Black Point & tour the Estate or continue on the boat tour. We chose to get off to tour the Estate, & the boat picked us up on it's way back from the far end of the lake. Now, Tom & I frequently go on walks, but not for miles & miles, & most of it is flat land. Today we had to walk up innumerable steps to get to the top of the bluff where the house was located. I honestly thought I was going to have "the big one" right on one of the flights of stairs! I didn't think I'd make it to the top! After we caught our breath, Tom said he'd counted the steps on the way up, so I asked him how many there were: "ALOT!" was his answer! But, it was worth it! I love old homes, & this one was built in 1888 by Chicago beer baron Conrad Seipp as a family getaway from the heat & bustle of the city. Once it was built, the family would take the train to Lake Geneva from Chicago, & then would have to take a boat across the lake to the estate. Four generations of Seipp's enjoyed the house; the last family member was the great-grandson of Conrad-- Paul-- who married late in life & had no children, so his mother asked that rather than sell it, would he donate it to the State of Wisconsin when he no longer wanted to live there so that it would never be sold. Paul honored her wishes, & at the age of 72 donated it to Wisconsin, along with a hefty endowment so that it would be cared for. All the family belongings were left inside just the way they were--including the clothes! It has oak & walnut floors , ornate hand carved beds & dressers, & a beautiful walnut table that extends to seat 60 people in the dining room, which was used very frequently as the family loved to entertain! Many evenings after dinner, the male guests would play pool while the ladies would go for walks along the edge of Geneva Lake. The Lake is circled by a 26 mile walking trail that is open to the public---it was originally an indian trail in the early 1800's---& was "deeded" to the people of Lake Geneva, guaranteeing them the right to walk on the trail, even though the lots around the lake are all privately owned.....meaning the trail goes along the edge of all the million dollar properties. About 10 years ago several of the millionaires on the lake banded together & went to court to have the land revert to those who owned the lots, which would have effectively banned anyone from walking around the lake. The judge upheld the Potawatomi Indians' decree that it be open to everyone, & so the millionaires continue to have walkers/joggers crossing the edges of their land everyday as people hike the trail! Score one for "the little guys!" :)