click zoom to display a high-res image
Summary
Sunset Point
M. J. Tennes Summer Estate
1024 Everett Road
Town of Washington, Vilas County
Architects: Rudolph Nedved and Elizabeth Kimball Nedved
Date of construction: 1928
Mont Tennes, known as Chicago's "gentleman gambler" set out to build the most beautiful summer home on Northern Wisconsin's lakes, and in 1928 did just that. Tennes purchased an existing 19th century vacation complex on Catfish Lake in 1921. Over the next few years, his family planned their grand summer estate, traveling to Europe with their architect and with their summertime neighbors and good friends, the Kellys.
The husband-wife team of Rudolph Nedved and Elizabeth Kimball Nedved designed the French Normandy Style estate in 1927. Tennes chose the most prestigious location on Everett Peninsula, imported the finest materials, employed the best craftsmen, and named his new showplace summer house, "Sunset Point." Rudolph went on to become a partner in the noted Chicago architectural firm of Schmidt, Garden & Martin. In June 1928, just a few weeks prior to completion, a devastating fire burned the main residence to the ground. Insurance covered the damages and M. J. ordered it entirely rebuilt that summer. Tennes demanded improved "fire proof" construction for his new home and equipped it with a fire hose and standpipe water system fed by a massive boathouse pump.
Although Mont passed away in 1941, the Tennes family summered at Sunset Point until 1951, when they donated the estate to the Sisters of Mercy for a girls' camp and retreat. The Sisters sold the property in 1974. In December of 1987, the estate once again became a private vacation residence, and the new owners began extensive restoration returning Sunset Point to its original grandeur as one of Northern Wisconsin's most beautiful lakefront estates.
Sunset Point is private property. Please respect the rights and privacy of the owners. For more information about this property please consult its website.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
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.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or have other questions about the registers, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
1460 Everett Road
09000164
Located in Town of Washington, Vilas County
580 S. Lake Shore Dr. (Pier 580)
94001147
Located in Town of Linn, Walworth County
1269 Everett Road
08000982
Located in Town of Washington, Vilas County
Locomobile
November 12, 1928
A 1922 Locomobile (foreground) and a 1917 model of the same make are parked near the main house at Black Point Estate. Geneva Lake is in the background.
