The Gift That Keeps On Giving

During the last couple of years, I’ve been featuring stories of the fancy estates and their owners that have populated the lakeshore of Geneva Lake in southern Wisconsin. I still have a few more estates to highlight, but this month I want to focus on one of the first structures to sit close to the shoreline in the town of Lake Geneva. It wasn’t fancy or large and, in appearance looked more like a farm house than a mansion.

The Sturges cottage that became a library.

The home was built around 1859 by Asa Farr, a lawyer who a few years earlier had moved to what was then called Geneva, Wisconsin. The Farr’s lived in the house for a number of years, and by 1871 the family of George Sturges, a wealthy Chicago banker, were spending their summers in the humble home they called "the cottage." When the Great Chicago Fire erupted in October 1871, the Sturges lost their home in the

flames and  they immediately arranged to return to the Farr cottage, which George purchased. They stayed there until George built them a new home on the lakeshore some years later. You can read more about Snug Harbor and the beautiful home George built by going to my post on this blog.

George passed away in 1890, and in 1894, Mary offered to the city of Lake Geneva, as a gift, her cottage and the lots directly to the house's west with the stipulation that the house would be used for a public library and the rest of the property be turned into a park. This involved closing a public street that ran east and west behind her house along the lakeshore. Several collections belonging to public reading rooms in town were combined, and the new Lake Geneva Public Library opened in August 1896.

The small home was Lake Geneva's one and only public library until the mid-1950s when, because of the building's aging structure and the growing size of the library's collection, discussions began about replacing the library building with a new larger one that looked like most every other library. At a later date those plans were scrapped and after soliciting for a new design, the library board chose a design that was submitted by James Dressler, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. The new building's design was very much in keeping with the prairie style associated with the famous architect. 

In 1953, the collections were packed up; some books vital to students in their studies, as well as novels and nonfiction books, were made available at a community building. The rest were stored at various places round town--some in a church, others at the grade school, and the rest in the basement of a drug store.

On December 12, 1954, the beautiful new library building, fully stocked with its former collection along with new inventory held an open house. People were amazed at the design,

View from the library's window wall.
(personal collection of author)

a stark contrast to that of most libraries at that time. Since then, an addition was made at the west end of the building, so seamless that you wouldn’t realize it wasn’t part of the original building. Also added at the same time, was a bump-out of a window wall that allows people to relax and read or just look at the ever-changing view of the lake. I often spend time there doing research for my historical Lake Geneva novels and usually become so captivated by the view I forget I’m there to work.

Library Park in Spring
(personal collection of author)

You can learn more about this beautiful and unique library by going to their website. There you can click on the link to the picture gallery that contains many photos of the interior and exterior along with some of Library Park. Mary's intent for the park was to give those not able to afford lakeshore property a way to enjoy the lake's beauty. Those of us who are aware of this special gift are very grateful to her. No matter the season, there is always a wonderful view, begging you to find a park bench and rest a spell and maybe read a good book you just found at the library. All thanks to Mary D. Sturges. I like to think if she could came back to see for herself the library and the beautiful park she envisioned for that property she would be very pleased. I know I am. 

Resources: 

Photos: 

Photo of original library: Discover Lake Geneva, Published by Gage Marine, 2003

Photo of interior of original library: History of the Lake Geneva Library, Ginny Hall, 1999, p. 11.
Photo of Mary Sturges: Lake Geneva Newport of the West, Betsy Gage & Ann Wolfmeyer; 1976; Lake Geneva Historical Society, Inc.

Exterior of new library: Website of the Lake Geneva Public Library (see link above)

Historical information: 

History of the Lake Geneva Library, Ginny Hall, 1999

Lake Geneva Newport of the West, Betsy Gage & Ann Wolfmeyer; 1976; Lake Geneva Historical Society, Inc.

At the Lake Magazine; Remember the Ladies by Lisa M. Schmelz

Pam has written most of her life, beginning with her first diary at age eight.  Her newest release, Safe Refuge, is the first of three novels in her Newport of the West series. She resides in northern Illinois with her two rescue cats and is only an hour or so away from her home town of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where she can often be found researching and nosing for new story ideas.

Snug Harbor, Another of the Lost Mansions of Geneva Lake

Snug Harbor is the next stop on our tour of 19^th Century homes that graced the shores of Geneva Lake in southeastern Wisconsin.

By the time of the Great Chicago Fire, George Sturges and his wife Mary had been summering in the

Antique postcard depicting Sung Harbor from my collection.

village of Lake Geneva (then known as Geneva) and staying with their large family in a simple rooming house on Main Street. The first thing they thought of after the fire destroyed their Chicago home and the bank George and his brothers owned, was to escape to Wisconsin. They crowded into the small frame house on Main Street with another displaced family. Eventually, George bought the house and its five adjoining lots. The other family moved on, but the Sturgeses stayed in the small house while George planned and constructed a large mansion in the style known as French Chateau. Construction was finally completed in 1881 and the large family moved in.

The lower level was constructed of thick rock, and a 5-story high tower provided a unique circular alcoves adjoining the parlor and master bedroom. To make the home's very large rooms seem not so big, the family purchased custom made extra large furniture.

Snug Harbor's Veranda

The home contained 20 main rooms in addition to enough bedrooms for their eight children. Mary Delafield Sturges and the children spent most of their time at the lake house while the city of Chicago continued to grow. The Sturgeses presented many gifts to the community of Lake Geneva and were highly respected. George sold the property in 1919, and it passed through several owners until in 1947, the estate was purchased by the Covenant Church and the grounds became known at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp. The mansion was used to house large church groups until fire claimed the beautiful old home in 1957. Today, the property is still known as Covenant Harbor and is used as a church camp and retreat center. In the past, I attended several singles ministry retreats in a modern building that sits on the main road leading into the grounds.

The small house in town continued in the family’s possession until Mary passed away and willed the structure and the large plot of land surrounding it to the town for use as a public library. She

Mary Delafield Sturges

stipulated that the land be used forever as a public library and public park. And a beautiful park remains there today. I’ve heard that Mary wanted to be sure that those people in town who couldn’t afford a lakeshore home would still be able to see the beautiful lake.

The small frame house was the town’s public library until 1953, when the old structure became unsafe for public use. It was abolished, and a beautiful prairie-style building with huge window walls that seem to bring the lake inside was built.

Mary’s legacy lives on through local resident, Chris Brook’s interpretive depiction of her. Chris dresses in the style of Mary’s times and entertains and educates with facts about Mary’s unique life—far too many to share here.

Next month I’ll bring you a snapshot of another of the many mansions of Geneva Lake.

Resource: Lake Geneva, Newport of the West; Ann Wolfmeyer and Mary Burns 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 Love Will Find a Way, contemporary romantic mysteries, and her 1933 historical romance, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. 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.