How a Wisconsin Lakeshore Home Came to be Called Aloha Lodge

By Pamela S. Meyers

For this month we are moving farther down the south shore of Geneva Lake in southeastern Wisconsin to an estate called Aloha Lodge, which was designed by Howard Shaw, a well known architect of the period. Although the home was built over the years beginning in 1900 and ending in 1902, it is still very much intact today despite a string of different owners over the many decades.

Photo from a booklet of historical estates on Geneva Lake.

Aloha Lodge was Built by Tracy C. Drake, founder and owner of the famous Drake Hotel in Chicago and, sometime later, The Blackstone Hotel and Blackstone Theater in Chicago. The home became a summer and weekend retreat for the Drake family for thirty-five years. At that time it was sold to Richard Lydy, a Chicago parking garage magnate.

During the years the home was under construction, Mr. and Mrs. Drake took an extended vacation to Hawaii and fell in love with the islands. Upon returning home they decided to name their estate Aloha Lodge and their private yacht was named Kaiulani. When that steam yacht burned beyond repair and they purchased a new yacht, they named that yacht Aloha.

From Wis. Historical Society Web Page

In the latter months of the construction, Mr. Drake had been so enamoured with a grove of sugar maples he'd seen in the fall when their leaves turned a brilliant red, he approached the owner of the grove and purchased 100 of the trees. The trees were removed during the winter. With their root balls carefully wrapped, they were transported across the frozen lake from the village of Williams Bay to Aloha Lodge and planted in the home's front yard. The twist of the story is that apparently when fall arrived, the leaves never turned red again, but a bright golden color instead. I don't know if any of those trees are still standing, but the trees in the current photo don't look old enough to be over 100 years old.

According to an article in the July 23, 1939, edition of the Chicago Tribune, the interior of the home was anything but what one would expect in a colonial style home. It would appear that if the couple were alive today they would definitely embrace the “open concept” style of interior design. There are no entry halls to take up wasted space and the entire front of the home, which faces the lake, is taken up by what we would call today a “great room.” At one end is a large fireplace and an arrangement of living room type furniture, while at the opposite end are shelves which give that space a library-like feel. At the other corner of that end of the space is the grand piano, radio, phonograph, and a Swiss music box. which gives the sense of a music room. The stairway to the second floor is within the boundaries of the room as well. The side of the room that faces the lake looks out on a wide veranda and beyond that, about 50 feet away, the crystal blue waters of Geneva Lake.

Over the years, additions have been built onto the home on either end that have extended its footprint, but the main part of the home has remained intact, and it can be seen from the excursion boats where it is announced by the tour guide. And, of course, if you walk the shore path along that part of the lakeshore, you can stroll directly through the home’s front yard! The picture below is how it looks now.

What about you? Do you prefer open concept or walls defining singular rooms?

References:
Wisconsin Historical Society, Wis. Architecture & History Inventory, Aloha Lodge, Linn Township, Walworth County, WI #68474

Picture of Current estate: www.lakegenevaestates.com

Chicago Tribune; 7/23/39; Aloha Lodge is Old Drake Home on Lake Geneva

Newport of the West; Ann Wolfmeyer & Betsy Burns Gage, 1976

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, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Second Chance Love, Surprised by Love (a reissue of Love Finds You in Lake Geneva to be released June 2017) and her novellas, What Lies Ahead, and If These Walls Could Talk (to be released May 2017). When she isn’t at her laptop writing her latest novel, Pam can often be found nosing around Wisconsin and other Midwestern spots for new story ideas.

The Echoes -- As Beautiful Today as in Yesteryear

By Pamela S. Meyers

For the first stop of 2017, in our tour of the old mansions and estates of Lake Geneva, WI, we’re going to pass by one called Westgate and head to the next one. Hopefully, we’ll backtrack next month and you can hear a very special story about Westgate. I just need a little more research before I can tell about that property.

The home known as Echoes was built in 1896, by George P. Braun. Mr. Braun commissioned well-known architect, Henry Lord Gay, to design the home. He wanted the latest and most modern conveniences included in the home’s design and the home included the most modern plumbing system available at that time.

A. Cox

Mr. Braun made his fortune in what was known back then as oleomargarine. The butter substitute was actually invented in 1870 in France when a substitute for butter was sought. His company churned (sorry I couldn’t resist) out margarine and became quite successful. He was able to incorporate the company in 1889. Soon after, he decided to sell the margarine company to John F. Jelke who renamed the product Good Luck Margarine, and that brand stayed around a very long time. In fact, during the 1960’s Eleanor Roosevelt made a commercial for the product. The Jelke’s often visited the Echoes.

In 1913, Braun decided to sell the property and it was purchased by Amariah Cox who renamed the estate Pleasant Hill. He purchased the rubber paint company he worked for and moved the entire operation to Chicago from Cleveland, OH. 

Included in the sale was a small company called Zeno Manufacturing, which made chewing gum. One of Zeno’s customers was a struggling soap salesman, William Wrigley, Jr. Mr. Wrigley went into the chewing gum business and, of course, you’ve heard of Wrigley’s Chewing Gum. The Wrigley home, Green Gables, was featured on this blog a few months ago.

Echos as it appears today

After Mr. Cox passed away in 1941, the estate was sold intact. In 1957 it was subdivided and the subdivision became known as Brookwood. The original home is still there on the lakeshore and can be viewed from the water.

Resources:

Lake Geneva Newport of the West, 1976; Ann Wolfmeyer and Mary Burns Gage

LeftoversHistory.com

LakeGenevaEstates.com

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 Her novella. What Lies Ahead, is part of a novella collection, The Bucket List Dare, which is now available at Amazon in both print and Kindle formats. Second Chance Love from Bling!, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, will release January 10, 2017 and is available at Amazon.com. 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.

Dronley--Once Visited by Presidential Cabinet Members, Now Repurposed As Camp Lodging

By Pamela S. Meyers

Dronley as it appeared in the late 1800s

Our September stop on our tour of Geneva Lake mansions built from the late 1800s and early 1900s , is Dronley the residence of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Chalmers. They chose the name Dronley for their lake home as it was a reflection of the couple’s Scottish heritage. 

You may recognize the name of the large machinery manufacturer, Allis-Chalmers, but you will likely find Mrs. Chalmers maiden name of greater interest. Her father was Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pinkerton detective agency. He was also instrumental in developing and training the country's first secret service agents.

Allan Pinkerton, Joan Chalmer's father

The large wood-frame home was built on property purchased from George Bullock, who was well known for his paintings of the Lake Geneva area. Prior to moving to the area, Mr. Bullock ran a photography business in Chicago. He lost all his paintings and photography equipment, etc. in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and moved to the property that was, and still is, adjacent to the Congress Club, a gathering of smaller properties owned by individuals.

Joan Pinkerton Chalmers on her wedding day

Chicago newspaper articles of the time often contain references to Joan Chalmers’ society doings and charity work, which continued no matter if she was at home in their Chicago mansion or at Dronley on Geneva Lake. While summering in Wisconsin, Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers entertained the movers and shakers in society and politics, including President Teddy Roosevelt’s Secretary of the Treasury.

Over the years, several additions were made to the home, one including a basement and wine cellar. 

Like most of the wealthy inhabitants of the lakeshore, the Chalmerses owned a steam yacht that no doubt was used to ferry the family and their guests to and from the train depot in Williams Bay. Only eight years after purchasing the vessel, it burned and sank. That yacht was replaced by another well-appointed boat call the Passic.

Old picture of Oaklawn at Conference Point Camp

Both the Chalmers’ children, Thomas and Joan, passed away before their parents did. 

In 1919, Dronley was incorporated into Conference Point Camp’s property to the south and was renamed Oak Lawn. It still stands today and serves as a lodging facility for the camp.

The Bullock home is still standing according to a shore path guide published in 2013.

Resources: 

Lake Geneva, Newport of the West; 1870-1920; Ann Wolfmeyer and Mary Burns Gage, pp 113-115

Walking Around Geneva Lake, Fontana to Williams Bay, Ginny Hall; 2013

A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, author Pamela S. Meyers lives in suburban Chicago with her two rescue cats. Her novels include Surprised by Love in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Second Chance Love, and Safe Refuge, Book 1 in the Newport of the West series, . 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.