Written by Dave Fidlin
Photographed by Matt Haas
In his 43 years of life, Robert Baker left a lasting legacy — one that continues to endure 144 years after his untimely passing through one of Lake Geneva’s most notable and historic dwellings.
The namesake Baker House has gone through many iterations and ownership groups since construction occurred along the Geneva Lake shoreline in 1885. But the craftsmanship, character and charm of this historic property that is emblematic of the Gilded Age remains on full display today.
Baker’s widow, Emily Hall Baker, had the family home constructed two years after the loss of her husband as a memorial to his impact and contributions. He was considered a respected businessman as a partner in the J.I. Case Company, and also dabbled in politics — first as Racine’s mayor, and later as a two-term state senator.
But in-between Racine and Madison, Lake Geneva always was the family’s true home. Baker was born and raised within the community before he branched off into his professional and political pursuits. The land the home sits on was deeded to Baker’s father, Charles Minton Baker, as a compensation package for becoming the first-ever district attorney in Walworth County.
“Robert always retained these very down-home roots,” said Courtney Waller, who is the current general manager and event director of the property. “Even though it was the Gilded Age, he really did keep his rural and agricultural characteristics.”
Waller gives frequent tours of the entire property and guides visitors around the sprawling site.
“One thing, I think, that surprises people the most when I’m talking to them, or I’m giving a tour, is that this was only a private residence for about 15 years,” Waller said. “The amount of artistic craftsmanship is amazing to me. I’ve been here for 16 years, and I still find myself being in awe of the carvings and the unique features.”
As a residence, Emily christened it the “Redwood Cottage” as a summer living quarters for herself and her five children. The name was derived from the California Redwood trees used as exterior building materials.
It subsequently served a number of disparate purposes in the decades to follow, including a so called “fashionable” sanitarium for wealthy Chicago residents suffering from addiction and other related conditions. In the prohibition era of the 1920s and early 1930s, the property functioned as a speakeasy. As the 1930s progressed, it morphed into a lakeside hotel and restaurant and, during much of this period, was known as the St. Moritz. Finally, in 2010, amid a series of restoration efforts, the property went full circle and was given the Baker House name to honor Robert and Emily.
While the dwelling has cycled through numerous purposes and ownership groups since the foundation was laid nearly a century-and-a-half ago, Waller said there has been a common thread between each chapter of the property’s storied history.
“Over the years, everyone who has owned the property has really done a good job of maintaining it,” she said. “There’s been remarkable care throughout each of the different ownerships. They made it a point to keep that property completely the way it was. The house is immaculate for being almost 150 years old.”
Speaking to more recent modifications within the development, Waller said painstaking efforts are done to ensure building materials closely mirror the original elements that were installed. The current day hotel added into the building footprint, for instance, required a few creative techniques.
“We were able to use salvaged wood that had been removed or replaced over the years,” she said. “We were able to cut it down and make it look nice so that we were able to keep that original character.”
In most dwellings, flooring materials typically are unobtrusive features. At the Baker House, however, they are a notable feature and common talking point, Waller said as she recites some of the information she shares on her tours.
“One of the things that’s really interesting about our floors is that they were made with five different kinds of wood,” she said.
A story behind the installation of the flooring also is a notable feature that has been passed down from the generations.
“The floors are rumored to be the first ones installed by S.C. Johnson,” Waller said, referring to the founder of the Racine-based household cleaning supply company. “Legal disclaimer: I don’t have a photograph, but this is what I do know — the floors were installed by the Racine Lumber Company.”
Elaborating further on the connective tissue between Johnson and the hired contractor for the flooring project, Waller added, “At the time, the Racine Lumber Company only had two flooring installers on their payroll, one being an older gentleman, a master floorer, and the other being a very young S.C. Johnson, before he built his own company.”
Through her deep dive into researching the property’s history, Waller said she is convinced Johnson’s handiwork is a part of the Baker House.
“The home is 16,000 square feet, and at one point all of it was hardwood,” she said. “I have a very hard time imagining that one older gentleman did that all by himself.”
Today, the Baker House serves three distinct, but interconnected purposes: the basement and first floor feature a bar and restaurant, with a nod-to-history speakeasy operating in the lowest level. Additionally, various special events and themed evenings, such as murder mysteries and haunted tours, are held on the property throughout the year. The second floor offers five luxury hotel rooms, each with lake views. The third floor serves as a four-bedroom rental unit — dubbed the “owner’s suite” — with all of the accompanying living features included.
Against the backdrop of Gilded Age décor and elegance, one common goal is interspersed throughout the Baker House, Waller said, and applies to all areas of the home in its current iteration.
“I always tell folks it was built as a home,” she said. “Emily built it as a monument to her husband. It’s a building that was constructed on the idea of family and love, and that’s how we want guests to enjoy their experience here as well.”
Life has evolved by leaps and bounds since the Baker House first adorned the Geneva Lake shoreline, but Waller said interest in the property remains strong.
“There is this fascination with the Gilded Age, with ‘The Great Gatsby,’” Waller said in referring to the 1925 novel. “It has been, and always will remain popular. I don’t see a time when the fascination with that time period and lifestyle will ever be gone.”
Whether it is for a tour, a meal, or an overnight or extended stay, Waller said her top-of-mind wish is for visitors to feel like they truly are taking a step back in time when they open the doors and enter The Baker House.
Address:
327 Wrigley Drive
Lake Geneva, WI
Hours:
Lunch: 11 AM (Monday, Wednesday & Thursday)
Brunch: 9 AM to 2 PM (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
Dinner: 5 PM (All days except Tuesday)
Victorian High Tea: 12:30 PM (Saturday only)
Phone Number:
262.248.4700
Website:
bakerhouse1885.com
