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Summary
Ten Chimneys
S42 W31610 Depot Rd and W314 S4151 State Highway 83, Town of Genesee, Waukesha County
Architects: Charles Dornbusch; Eschweiler & Eschweiler; Root & Hollister
Dates of construction: 1914-1948
Acting legends Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt built Ten Chimneys as their summer home. Lunt purchased the property in Genessee Depot in 1913 and began work on the main house in 1914. After the couple married in 1922, they transformed the property into a country estate, expanding the house and adding outbuildings. In the 1930s, Broadway set designer Claggett Wilson elaborately decorated the house with wallpaper cutouts and extensive floor to ceiling mural work.
The Lunts either designed or decorated all of the buildings on the property to evoke their Scandinavian and English ancenstry. The board and batten pool house recalls Swedish town houses, while traditional Scandinavian log farm buildings inspired the studio and stable. The interiors are theatrical in their décor. In addition to Wilson's elaborate murals in the main house, Alfred Lunt decorated the cottage with Swedish folk murals and decorations.
Fontanne and Lunt were America's most famous theatrical couple; they performed together in over 40 Broadway plays, and several movies and television programs. Many of the leading actors and playwrights of the mid-twentieth century, such as Noel Coward, Helen Hayes, Lawrence Olivier, and Vivian Leigh, were friends of the Lunts and stayed at Ten Chimneys. There they wrote, rehearsed, and relaxed in a bucolic setting that provided a refuge from the tension and strain of their theatrical work.
When Ten Chimneys was threatened by demolition and dissolution of its contents, the Ten Chimneys Foundation was formed to purchase, restore, and open Ten Chimneys to the public. After a painstaking restoration Ten Chimneys is now open for tours.
Most of this property was listed in the National Register in 1998. NRIS #98000076.
Property Details
| Criteria | Person,Architecture/Engineering |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Architecture,Performing Arts |
| Period of Significance | 1922-1948 |
| Architectural Style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| Architect | Dornbusch, Charles,Eschweiler and Eschweiler,Root and Hollister |
| Resource Type | Building |
| Historic Use | Single Dwelling,Secondary Structure |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 9 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 4 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jul 28, 1996 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Feb 23, 1998 |
| Historic Status | National Historic Landmark Status Granted |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jul 13, 2003 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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S42 W31610 Depot Rd.
98000076
Located in Town of Genesee, Waukesha County
