Ten Chimneys facts for kids
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Ten Chimneys
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Entrance to the Main House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | S42 W31610 Depot Rd., Genesee, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 60 acres (24 ha) |
| Built | 1915 |
| Architect | Charles Dornbusch |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000076 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1998 |
| Designated NHL | July 31, 2003 |
Ten Chimneys was the special summer home of two famous Broadway actors, Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt. It was also a working farm and a popular meeting place for people in American theater. This unique property is located in Genesee Depot in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, USA. In 2003, Ten Chimneys was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important place in American history, especially for its connection to the performing arts and its cool design.
Contents
The Story of Ten Chimneys
Lynn and Alfred's Journey
Lynn Fontanne was born in England in 1887. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming an actress. She started her career in 1905 as a chorus girl. In 1916, she moved to the United States. She became very successful in 1921 with a play called Dulcy.
Alfred Lunt, Jr. was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1892. His father was a lumberman. Alfred loved theater from when he was just three years old. He also enjoyed spending summers on his aunt's farm. In 1906, his stepfather moved the family to Genesee Depot. His stepfather worked there as a doctor.
A few years later, the family faced money problems. They had to move to Finland, which was then part of Russia. Alfred spent summers there and grew to love the Finnish culture. During the school year, he went to Carroll College Academy in Waukesha. He later studied at Carroll College, where he focused on public speaking. He also acted in college plays and helped build the scenery.
In 1912, Alfred left college to join a theater company in Boston. He became a very successful stage actor. He gained a lot of praise for his role in the play Clarence in 1919.
Building a Home in Wisconsin
Even with his successful acting career, Alfred always loved his childhood home in Wisconsin. In 1913, he bought three acres of land near Genesee Depot. This land would later become Ten Chimneys. In 1915, the first part of the house was built. A visitor described it as "one enormous room" with stairs leading to a gallery. This gallery had doors to bedrooms. Alfred's mother, Hattie, and his half-siblings lived there all year. Alfred would join them during the summers.
Lunt and Fontanne met in 1919 during a rehearsal in New York. They fell in love and got married in 1922. Their first summer living with Alfred's mother was a bit difficult. So, in 1924, they decided to turn the chicken coop into a small house for themselves. This new house, called the Cottage, has many features from old Swedish farmhouses. It has brick and stucco fireplaces and folk paintings, some done by Alfred himself. There are even Swedish sayings written inside. Lynn Fontanne's room upstairs is different. It is all white, with a soft carpet made of stitched sheepskins.
In 1923, Lunt and Fontanne acted in their first play together. The next year, they starred in The Guardsman. This play was very popular, and they later made it into a movie. Over the years, they acted together in more than 140 Broadway plays. They were known as the most important acting couple in American theater.
In 1932, Lunt and Fontanne traded houses with Alfred's mother and sister. The actors moved into the main house. His mother and sister moved into the Cottage. Alfred then jokingly renamed the Cottage the "hen house."
Over the years, Lunt and Fontanne kept building and improving Ten Chimneys. In 1936, they added an L-shaped swimming pool and a changing room. In 1938, they started to remodel and expand the main house. They added rooms for the cook and housekeeper, plus more living space. Alfred worked with architect Charles Dornbusch on the design. Dornbusch had helped with many buildings on the estate, including the Cottage years before. In 1939, they added a metal gate around the driveway.
In 1947, they finished building a new chicken coop and a greenhouse. They also built a gatehouse. Also in 1947, they rebuilt the Studio. This was a traditional log building that was taken apart in Sweden. It was then shipped to America and put back together. They used it as a place to practice their plays. Later, stone paths and walls were added to connect everything on the estate.
Inside the Main House
The inside of the main house at Ten Chimneys is beautifully decorated. The entry hall has marble tiles and hand-painted pictures on the walls. There's also a Swedish porcelain stove and a grand spiral staircase. This staircase leads to the second floor. On the second floor, you'll find the kitchen and a room the Lunts called the Flirtation Room. This room leads to other parts of the house, like the Music Room. The Music Room has a fireplace and hand-painted pictures showing scenes from the Bible. These pictures were painted by artist Claggett Wilson starting in 1938. The library has a secret passage hidden behind a bookshelf!
The upper floor has bedrooms. These rooms have murals showing farmers and wildlife. Lynn's bedroom is light-colored and has its own Swedish fireplace. Alfred's bedroom is simpler, also with its own Swedish corner fireplace. The house has many fireplaces, which means it needs ten chimneys. That's how the estate got its name!
Life on the Farm
Ten Chimneys was also a working farm. This might seem surprising for famous actors! As a child, Alfred loved working in the fields. This love continued when he grew up. He once wrote home from England, "I had a high old time as their garden was full of weeds & did I go to it..." The farm at Ten Chimneys grew from three acres to over 100 acres.
Alfred was often away acting, so in 1929, he hired Ben Perkins to manage the farm. While Alfred was away, they wrote letters about farm matters. For example, they discussed buying a used machine for $65. Alfred was careful with money. In 1939, they started a large vegetable garden. They added an orchard later. In 1941, Alfred and Lynn gave each other cows as Christmas gifts. These were the first two cows on the farm. By 1942, the farm had four cows, some pigs, and up to 200 chickens. To feed the animals, they grew corn, oats, alfalfa, clover, and wheat. The milk from the cows was made into butter. Some butter was eaten on the farm, and some was sold locally. During WWII, some butter, meat, and vegetables were even sent to the Lunts in New York and Europe. This was important because food was hard to get due to rationing.
Alfred once said in 1956, "I'm just a country boy who happens to be an actor. But fashionable parties and clever talk - all that sort of thing - well, y'know, it bores me stiff. I'd rather listen to my chickens clucking any time."
Famous Visitors
During their acting careers, Fontanne and Lunt spent every summer at Ten Chimneys. It was a place for them to relax and get new ideas for their acting. Many famous actors and artists visited the Lunts at Genesee Depot. These guests included Noël Coward, Helen Hayes, Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, and Vivien Leigh. The actress Carol Channing once said, "If you get to go to Ten Chimneys, you must have done something right."
After they retired, the Lunts returned to Ten Chimneys. They spent the rest of their lives at their beloved home. Alfred passed away in 1977, and Lynn in 1983.
Opening to the Public
In 1996, a man named Joseph W. Garton bought Ten Chimneys. He wanted to save and share the estate. The Ten Chimneys Foundation was then created to help with this goal. The foundation bought the property from Garton in 1998.
The estate was very well preserved. The Lunts' original furniture, decorations, and personal items were mostly untouched. They stayed that way from Lynn Fontanne's death in 1983 until the foundation started its work in 1998.
The Ten Chimneys Foundation opened the estate to the public for the first time on May 26, 2003. This date would have been the Lunts' 81st wedding anniversary. The estate is still open for public tours from May through November. The foundation also continues to support the arts. It offers programs and resources for theater professionals, just like the Lunts did.
Gallery
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The Visitor Center
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The Main House
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The Main House, Rear
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The Main House, Rear
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The poolhouse
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Outbuildings
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The Cottage
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The Cottage
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The greenhouse
See also
