By Pamela S. Meyers

The home was built in 1893 by George Weiss. The land itself before
then was called Forest Glen Park which included a public resort with a hotel,
cottages and camping facilities. The property included a pretty stream that
originated from a spring. The stream flowed down to the shore and fed into the
lake. (Geneva Lake is fed by several springs at the west end of the lake). When
Weiss purchased a portion of the resort property, he chose the part that
included the stream. The camp buildings were sold off and moved elsewhere.
Weiss improved the gardens around the stream, but his future plans for the property
were cut short when he became ill and had to sell the property to Edward G.
Uihlein, whose family owned the Schlitz Brewing Company in Milwaukee. The
brewery had established a location in Chicago and E.G. Uihlein was assigned to
oversee that operation. Geneva Lake sits almost halfway between Chicago and
Milwaukee, making the lake property a good place for the Uihlein extended
family to gather.
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Uihlein's Gardens |
Uihlein, who changed the name of the estate to Forest Glen,
focused a great deal on the land around the stream, developing it even more
than Weiss had done. He hired landscape architect, Jens Jensen, to design the
property which included rustic dams and bridges. He brought in plants and trees
that were not usually seen in the area, along with those which were indigenous
to Wisconsin. Once completed, he invited the public to come and enjoy his
park-like setting. Many residents from the nearby village of Fontana took
advantage of his offer, which continued for several decades.
Uihlein died in 1921 and a year later the home burned to the
ground and nothing of value was salvaged. A short time later the property was sold to
a developer who subdivided the land and called it The Gardens. Today when you
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Home of Herman Uihlein in Whitefish Bay, WI |
On a personal note, I’ve been aware of the Uihlein family
for years because of their presence in Milwaukee. Some of the magnificent homes that other Uihlein
family members built at the same time as the Geneva Lake mansion, have been destroyed, but one still stands in Whitefish Bay, WI, a
Milwaukee suburb. It also faces a lake—Lake Michigan.
Next month we'll move over to the south shore of the lake and visit the Oaks.
Resource: Lake Geneva; Newport of the West, 1976; Wolfmeyer & Gage
Resource: Lake Geneva; Newport of the West, 1976; Wolfmeyer & Gage
A native
of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, author Pamela S. Meyers lives in suburban Chicago
with her two rescue cats. Her novels include Thyme for Love and her 1933
historical romance, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Love is All We Need (the sequel to Thyme for Love) will release soon, and Second Chance Love from Bling!, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing
of the Carolinas, will release in January 2017. When she isn’t at her laptop
writing her latest novel, she can often be found nosing around Wisconsin and
other Midwestern spots for new story ideas.
What a shame that the house burned to the ground. Another great history lesson, thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove the gazebo-like area at the top of the tower. Thanks, Pamela.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post about Villa Patina Home and gardens that became legendary.
ReplyDelete