Ten Chimneys
Encyclopedia
Ten Chimneys is the well-preserved summer home of actors Lynn Fontanne
and Alfred Lunt
. Ten Chimneys is located in Genesee Depot, Town of Genesee
, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin
, United States
.
Ten Chimneys was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 2003.
During their careers, the Lunts retreated to Ten Chimneys every summer for personal and artistic rejuvenation. A host of stage and screen luminaries made pilgrimages to Genesee Depot as guests of the Lunts, including Noël Coward
, Helen Hayes
, Laurence Olivier
, and Vivien Leigh
. Carol Channing
said, “If you get to go to Ten Chimneys, you must have done something right.”
Upon retirement, the Lunts returned to Ten Chimneys and spent the rest of their lives at their beloved home in Genesee Depot.
The estate takes its name from the total of ten chimneys present on the grounds. Buildings include a large main house, a cottage, a Swedish log cabin studio, an L-shaped pool, pool house, creamery, greenhouse, barns, stables, and other outbuildings. As an historic property the estate was exceptionally well preserved, since the Lunts' original furniture, decorations, and personal items were barely disturbed between Lynn Fontanne's death in 1983 and the beginning of preservation efforts by Ten Chimneys Foundation in 1998.
, purchased Ten Chimneys in 1996 to prevent the site from being developed. In 1996, the Ten Chimneys Foundation was established to preserve and share the impressive estate, and the Foundation purchased the property from Mr. Garton in 1998.
Ten Chimneys Foundation opened the estate to the public for the first time on May 26, 2003, which would have been the Lunts’ 81st wedding anniversary. The estate remains open for public tours from May through mid-November. The Ten Chimneys Foundation also continues to fulfill the estate’s original role as a home for the arts by providing programming and resources for theater professionals.
Lynn Fontanne
Lynn Fontanne was a British actress and major stage star in the United States for over 40 years. She teamed with her husband Alfred Lunt.She lived in the United States for more than 60 years but never relinquished her British citizenship. Lunt and Fontanne shared a special Tony Award in 1970...
and Alfred Lunt
Alfred Lunt
Alfred Lunt was an American stage director and actor, often identified for a long-time professional partnership with his wife, actress Lynn Fontanne...
. Ten Chimneys is located in Genesee Depot, Town of Genesee
Genesee, Wisconsin
Genesee is a town in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,284 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Genesee Depot and Saylesville are located in Genesee.-Landmarks:...
, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Waukesha County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2008, the population was 380,629. Its county seat is Waukesha.-History:The part of Wisconsin that Waukesha County now occupies was a part of Michigan when Milwaukee County was organized in September 1834. On July 4, 1836, the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Ten Chimneys was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 2003.
During their careers, the Lunts retreated to Ten Chimneys every summer for personal and artistic rejuvenation. A host of stage and screen luminaries made pilgrimages to Genesee Depot as guests of the Lunts, including Noël Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
, Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes
Helen Hayes Brown was an American actress whose career spanned almost 70 years. She eventually garnered the nickname "First Lady of the American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award...
, Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
, and Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh
Vivien Leigh, Lady Olivier was an English actress. She won the Best Actress Academy Award for her portrayal of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire , a role she also played on stage in London's West End, as well as for her portrayal of the southern belle Scarlett O'Hara, alongside Clark...
. Carol Channing
Carol Channing
Carol Elaine Channing is an American singer, actress, and comedienne. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards , a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination...
said, “If you get to go to Ten Chimneys, you must have done something right.”
Upon retirement, the Lunts returned to Ten Chimneys and spent the rest of their lives at their beloved home in Genesee Depot.
The estate takes its name from the total of ten chimneys present on the grounds. Buildings include a large main house, a cottage, a Swedish log cabin studio, an L-shaped pool, pool house, creamery, greenhouse, barns, stables, and other outbuildings. As an historic property the estate was exceptionally well preserved, since the Lunts' original furniture, decorations, and personal items were barely disturbed between Lynn Fontanne's death in 1983 and the beginning of preservation efforts by Ten Chimneys Foundation in 1998.
Opening Ten Chimneys to the Public
Arts advocate Joseph W. Garton, a restaurateur in Madison, WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, purchased Ten Chimneys in 1996 to prevent the site from being developed. In 1996, the Ten Chimneys Foundation was established to preserve and share the impressive estate, and the Foundation purchased the property from Mr. Garton in 1998.
Ten Chimneys Foundation opened the estate to the public for the first time on May 26, 2003, which would have been the Lunts’ 81st wedding anniversary. The estate remains open for public tours from May through mid-November. The Ten Chimneys Foundation also continues to fulfill the estate’s original role as a home for the arts by providing programming and resources for theater professionals.