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Indulge Yourself for an Afternoon. Pretend it’s 1938 in Genesee Depot, WI.

You’re the afternoon guest of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne at Ten Chimneys, the couple’s summer retreat far away from the clatter of Broadway.

As your taxi rolls up the rural driveway, you behold the most beautiful estate you’ve ever seen outside the Hamptons. Lynn’s flower gardens are everywhere. Driving past the white stone fence to the white 18-room main house, you catch a glimpse of an adorable red country cottage perfectly accented with red and white striped awnings. And you’ll notice the Swedish-style log cabin studio out near the creamery, just past the barn, stables and, of course, Alfred’s greenhouse and vegetable gardens.

Knock at the door and most likely Alfred will answer, with Lynn making a sweeping entrance down the red-carpeted spiral staircase. They are gracious hosts with a flair for the dramatic – after all, drama was their life. The Broadway stage was their home the rest of the year and they truly enjoyed acting together in every play. The Lunts were the two most respected and critically acclaimed – as well as most highly paid – stage actors in the country.

Summers Away from Broadway.The Lunts insisted upon spending every summer in Genesee Depot and entertaining guests at their expansive estate. Oh, and their friends loved Ten Chimneys! It was spacious, extraordinarily designed, exquisitely decorated by the Lunts themselves and relaxing. Every room has a story to tell, filled with treasures brought home from their world travels. Every wall is hand painted with unique designs by their good friend and famous set designer Claggett Wilson. Lynn was quite the homemaker as she designed and sewed the curtains and bedspreads for every room in their home. When you visit, I’m sure she’ll show you her sewing room and the small Singer machine on which she also sewed many of her gowns.

Alfred had talents beyond the stage as well. He was an excellent cook who trained at the French culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu. He enjoyed using his garden vegetables in the gourmet dishes he prepared for their guests. The kitchen table was the best place to dine when Alfred was cooking.

Poolside Cocktail?If you brought your swimsuit, you might want to join Lynn poolside for a late afternoon cocktail. Although you tell them a taxi will be picking you up early in the evening, you’ll likely hear an invitation to stay. “Oh, do stay the night,” Alfred and Lynn might beg of you. “You’ll love Helen Hayes’ room. She’s already gone back to New York, and you’ll find its floral decor quite charming.” Helen was a close friend and frequent guest. Lynn decorated a bedroom just for her.

The Lunt’s summer guest list was impressive. You just might cross paths with famed authors Edna Ferber or Booth Tarkington. Or you might be visiting at the same time George Burns, Carol Channing, Katherine Hepburn or Hal Holbrook stop by. Sir Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh enjoyed the hospitality at Ten Chimneys as did Lillie Langtry, Charlie Chaplin, Montgomery Clift and Noel Coward. You never know who you’ll run into at the Lunts’!

Only Special Friends Were Invited. And now here you are visiting Ten Chimneys yourself, surrounded with the grandeur and charm of a time gone by. But you can still feel the presence of Lynn and Alfred as nothing in their home has changed since they lived there. A devoted estate caretaker preserved their home for years just as they left it. The estate has not been “refurbished” or changed in any way. Now the Ten Chimneys Foundation ensures that the Lunt’s glamour lives on. You’ll feel as though you truly are a guest in their home.

The docents are so well trained in the details of the Lunt’s glamourous lives at Ten Chimneys that they bring the couple’s personalities and charms to life for you. They share the details with you that only close personal friends of the Lunts would have known. By the time your guided tour comes to an end, you’ll be intimately acquainted with Lynn and Alfred and truly feel as though you have just spent a glorious afternoon with them.

You’re Invited. Don’t miss this exquisite American treasure, a National Historic Landmark. It is also a national resource for theatre, arts, and arts education. Ten Chimneys is open Tuesday-Saturday through mid-November. Call (262) 968-4110 for a tour reservation. Visit tenchimneys.org for complete information. Oh, and be sure to visit the gift shop – it’s full of unique and wonderful treasures. Genesee Depot is just west of Milwaukee.

TIPS:
1) Fly into Milwaukee on Midwest Airlines. Then rent a car — Genesee Depot is about 30 miles west of the airport.

2)Dining.You’ll two very nice restaurants right in town — The Cornerstone and The Union House.
3)Dining and Hotel. Just north on Hwy 83 is the town of Delafield — a number of dining and accommodation options. Also some great little boutiques. Delafield is at Hwy 94.

4) Terrific Docents. When I said the docents were well-trained, I really meant it. Peg and Alice were our docents for our tour and they truly helped us feel like the Lunts were just away for the afternoon and might return any minute. They incorporate wonderful flourish into their presentation, pointing out every detail, right down to the book lying open that Lynn was reading on her last day at Ten Chimneys. They pulled our minds and hearts into the magical, fairytale lives of Alfred and Lynn. My thanks to them!
5) The Museum Store and Exhibition Building. This area is free for you to browse and includes Lynn’s wardrobe, terrific set displays and unique items. You’ll come here first to report for your tour. I encourage you to visit the Museum Store — like every really good museum store, it is filled with unique and wonderful items. A terrific place to shop for special Christmas gifts. But remember, it closes November 15 and doesn’t reopen until early May.

6) Past Exhibitions — Tinsel Prints. If you are interested in crafts, take a look at Ten Chimneys’ past Tinsel Print exhibit. This exhibit pages gives detailed information about the history of tinsel prints and instruction on how to create your own. Fascinating and fun.

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