There is a charming downtown in Lake Geneva, with lots of artistic shopping opportunities and tasty dining. The lake is ringed in private homes and huge estates, yet is accessible and friendly for all types of folks. If you want to hike a trail, swim at the beach or have an expensive spa treatment, you can find it here.
The photo above was taken of a private home, one of hundreds that rings the lake. What a beautiful, grand home it is, with several stories, balconies, and a turret. We saw this and many others when we walked on a trail around the lake. Runners and bikers also used the simple trail.
Glaciers formed the lake basin long before the United States was a country, and Native Americans fished its waters. It was called "muck-suck" by the Indians, and then Big Foot, named after a Pottawatomi chief. An early English settler, after skirmishes over land and water rights, called the place Geneva after his former home in New York. Grist mills and saw mills were built to utilize the available water power.
In the late 1800s, the town became a popular destination and retreat for residents of Chicago. Railroad access made this possible for the captains of industry and other people of means. Founders of companies such as Morton Salt and Wrigley chewing gum built mansions and large homes around the lake.
When you visit the town of Lake Geneva, one of the most visible landmarks is what looks like a grand Victorian turreted home or small castle. The Baker House was built as a summer resident in 1885. Robert Hall Baker built this 17,000 square foot, 30-room, Queen Anne-style, turreted mansion that was once a summer home; then it was a school dorm, sanitarium, and Speakeasy. Now it's a hotel and restaurant listed on the National Registrar of Historic Sites. It's a luxurious inn with a restaurant, 13 fireplaces, and floor to ceiling hand-carved mantles with rare tiles.
Lake Geneva was a haven for Al Capone and other mobsters for a while early in the 20th century. Hugh Hefner built his first Playboy Resort here, which then closed in 1981. It's now the elaborate and expensive Grand Geneva Resort. One of the best things to do here is take a tour of the lake by boat (or "yacht"). These lake cruises on double-decker steamers and lovely wooden boats have guides, narrators and refreshments on board.
Below are some of the mansions one can see: "The Oaks" - Dr. Phillip Maxwell built the oldest mansion there, now called Golden Oaks Mansion. "Black Point" has a distinctive four-story tower. This place could only be reached by steamboat when it was first built. Guests were ferried over once a week and then returned a week or two later. Stone Manor is a gigantic 18,000 foot Italian palace which is visible nearly anywhere along the lake. Once a private mansion, now it houses condominiums. It almost looks like a small city in itself.
Many more interesting estates ring the lake. They have wonderful names, such as House in the Woods, Maple Lawns, and Green Gables. Powerful men such as Montgomery Ward and Sears built the place up and it remains for the rest of us to see. There is a large university observatory telescope belonging to the U. of Chicago that we didn't visit, but it's quite impressive. Yerkes Observatory was established in 1897 and houses a big telescope at a 77-acre, park-like site. It's open to the public for tours on Saturdays, and offers different programs such as family viewing nights and professional development for teachers.
Lake Geneva was charming, with something for everyone. It's a little too far to be a regular retreat for folks from Fort Wayne, but worth a visit sometime. It would be just right for a weekend getaway, or a week-long summer retreat. It's not really a water ski lake, but it's good for socializing, people watching, and site-seeing. Several golf courses are there, and lots of hotels, retirement villages, and condos. If you live in Chicago or somewhere near, definitely check it out sometime.
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