May 12, 2009

A Tour Through the Tulips

Posted to Area Attractions & Events, Geneva Lake Area , Janet Giovannetti

This weekend I had the pleasure of touring one of the loveliest lakefront homes on Geneva Lake, which at this time of year is surrounded by thousands of blooming tulips. The tour was held by the Committee for the Beautification of Lake Geneva; the estate is owned by Richard Driehaus, a well-known Chicago businessman and philanthropist.

I first became aware of this estate in the early 2000s when I was Executive Director of the Geneva Lake Conservacy, and the owners were exploring ways to preserve the historic value of the estate and to prevent it from being sold to developers who might subdivide and sell the land. The Conservancy was celebrating the sale of the property to Mr. Driehaus, who agreed to place a conservation easement on the property, and I had the great good fortune to plan the showcase event.

According to the book Lake Geneva Newport of the West, authored by Ann Wolfmeyer and Mary Burns Gage, this particular lakefront estate, was originally built in 1906 for Norman Wait Harris (Harris Trust and Savings, Chicago), who was a direct descendant of Charlemagne. His mother was a cousin of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It features 20’ ceilings, grand entry hall, and a double staircase leading to the second floor, as well as a library, living room, dining room, porches and porticos. The gardens and grounds were designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the nation’s first landscape architecture firm.

The estate was sold in 1920 to Walden W. Shaw, president of Shaw Livery, one of the earliest Chicago cab companies. His daughter married Daniel Peterkin, Jr. (Morton Salt) and the property remained in the Peterkin family until the sale to Mr. Driehaus.

Today, the home exudes its original stateliness and grace, having been restored, refurbished and redecorated to emphasize the detailed architecture and workmanship. The grounds boast stunning gardens, pools and “beauty spots” just as the Olmsteds planned.

All in all, there was no finer way to spend a spring afternoon.

This and the many other lakefront homes can be seen “lakeside” from a Gage Marine tour boat . Look for my future blogs in which I will discuss some of these lakefront gems.

Posted by:Janet Giovannetti

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