steam yacht louise lake geneva

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Monday, May 4, 2015

Steam yachts of the 19th century--more than for pleasure on lake geneva, wisconsin.

4 comments:

I was especially interested in the mail boats. It's neat that there still is one in service!

I've been on several of the excursion boats. And the mail boat. I do not envy those young jumpers. The day I rode the mail boat, a high wind kept the docks wet and slippery.

Thanks, Pamela, this is the first I've heard of those mail jumpers. Sounds like a good character for a story. :)

I've been to Lake Geneva, WI but did not spend time on the lake so never saw these boats. They sure are nostalgic. Thanks for your interesting research. sm wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

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Full lake tour on steam boat Louise - Lake Geneva Cruise Line

• United States    
• Wisconsin (WI)    
• Lake Geneva    
• Lake Geneva - Things to Do    
• Lake Geneva Cruise Line

We finally got to experience the Sanat Cruise after living in the area for 5 years and wished we... read more

I am originally was going to attend this but cruise as I have taken it in the past, but to... read more

Full lake tour on steam boat Louise

Great trip and super relaxing. We had a beautiful day with light breaze so I have to give mother nature some credit here. Louise is just like the boat in that old Bogart movie "African Queen"... pretty area with crazy nice homes.

Aboard a mailboat, about a 2 hr. tour of a very large lake. Most of the Estates were of the 'old money' Wrigley family, most from long ago Chicago $$. Very cool!

We took a large work group. The views of the lakefront properties is stunning! The ride is relaxing and enjoyable- great for groups!

We took the mail cruise at 10 am on 6/16/16. It was a sunny day and ideal for a boat cruise. They were celebrating 100 years of mail carrying on the Lake. It was interesting to watch th young lady jump from the boat to the mailbox and get back on the boat. Our cruise was about 2.5 hours long. It was wonderful to see th lovely mansions on the lake that can only be seen by boat. Excellent captain and great staff. TIP: Sit on the right side of the boat to see the mail person deliver the mail and to get an up close view of the mansions.

My husband and I really enjoyed the tour. I have two daughters - 10 and 8. They loved the ice cream part of the tour, they liked seeing the BIG HOUSES but after an hour they were done. Definitely would not recommend with younger children. But the tour was very interesting and was very enjoyable.

Thank you for the review. The ice cream is always a hit with the kids. I appreciate the feedback regarding the length of the tour. I'm glad that you found the narration interesting and enjoyable.

Leaning about all the people who built the beautiful homes on the lake from years ago. Quite Interesting...Lovely Boat Ride!!!!

Thank you for the positive feedback. I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed your experience on the tour.

• House Tours
• Historic Places

Places To Go: Lake Geneva

The paddlewheeler “Lady of the Lake” takes visitors on tours across Geneva Lake, its shoreline dotted with grand estates built ca. 1860-1910. Photo: Lake Geneva Visitors Bureau

A chicago surgeon built the first grand summer house on the shores of Geneva Lake in 1856. Nine miles long, exceptionally deep, with sparkling clean spring-fed water, the southern Wisconsin lake is conveniently accessible to the Second City. Chicago worthies with names like Wrigley followed Dr. Maxwell after the Civil War; the Chicago Fire of 1871 sent them up en masse, until Lake Geneva became known as the Newport of the West.

The construction and maintenance of these large summer homes contributed to the economy of the town, which is called Lake Geneva (on Geneva Lake). Their owners also employed locals as help. Just as architecture-loving tourists now flock to Newport, visitors come to Lake Geneva to look at the houses. Unlike in Newport, however, Lake Geneva’s estates are still home to a Midwestern glitterati, while the town thrives in support.

Built by beer money, the 1888 Queen Anne-style Black Point is open as a house museum. Photo: Lake Geneva Visitors Bureau

Among the several dozen lakeside houses are the 1900–1901 Beaux-Arts Stone Manor (officially Younglands), Villa Hortensia, constructed by Edward Swift in 1906 and named after wife, and Robinswood, a beautiful 1889 Shingle Style house. The magnificent Queen Anne-style Black Point, built in 1888 as the summer home of a Chicago beer magnate, is now a house museum and open to the public.

The best way to see the houses is by boat, especially on the famous U.S. Mailboat Tour. Between mid-April and mid-November, the boat never stops—the letter carrier jumps from the boat to the pier and back again to deliver the mail to lakeside residents. Lake Geneva attracts old-boat lovers as much as old-house lovers, because the mail might be delivered by the steam yacht Louise, built in 1902, or by the 1898 yacht Polaris. And the lake is heavily populated by exquisitely maintained, antique wooden runabouts. On the third weekend of each September, their numbers balloon at the Antique and Classic Boat Show.

Romanesque Revival style suits the Yerkes Observatory, which was built in 1897. Photo: Walworth County Visitors Bureau.

Another way to explore is via the 21-mile Geneva Lake Shore Path. When it was created in the mid-19th century, the area 20 feet up from the shoreline was deemed public domain. To this day, anyone can walk through the yards of all the great lakeside houses.

In the village of Williams Bay, the 1897 Romanesque Revival Yerkes Observatory overlooks the lake. Operated by the University of Chicago, the observatory calls itself “the birthplace of modern astrophysics,” a claim supported by Albert Einstein, who asked to visit when he first came to the U.S. The Yerkes Observatory boasts the largest refracting telescope successfully used for astronomy and is open for free public tours every Saturday throughout the year.

Trolleys operate at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva.

In 1885, a Racine widow built a 17,000-square-foot Queen Anne vacation house on fashionable Geneva Lake, calling it Redwood Cottage. The great good fortune of what is now known as Baker House is that it has retained its original layout, floors, redwood sheathing, and interior millwork. This includes all the original fireplaces, complete with surrounds, aprons, and hearths fashioned from Lowe tiles. Nearby Black Point also boasts tile from the company in Chelsea, Massachusetts. The Baker House serves as an elegant lakeside inn today.

Tags: OHI July/August 2012 Old-House Interiors Regina Cole Travel

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| Swiss News

Lake Geneva’s beautiful paddlewheel boats – getting there is way more than half the fun

18/06/2019 By Le News

They say that “getting there is half the fun”. But sometimes it’s more. A lot more. For example: a Lake Geneva cruise on a grand historic paddlewheel steamboat. Destination? Who cares?

Belle époque vessel “La Suisse” © CGN

On a recent gorgeous Sunday afternoon, I, your intrepid reporter, along with my intrepid stepson and two intrepid nephews, provisioned with our intrepid bottles of wine, bread, cheeses and fruits, took a cruise on the stately Savoie , a svelte white steamboat that was first commissioned in 1914, and fully renovated in 2006 by CGN (Compagnie Générale de Navigation), which runs cruises all around Lake Geneva – see the full fleet here .

Belle époque dining room © CGN

Though tempted to splurge on the gourmet 3-course lunch, we knew we wouldn’t have time to enjoy it all since we also wanted to disembark in the beautiful French village of Yvoire. (OK, an enticing destination always helps.) So, after boarding with our First Class tickets, we asked the kind maître d’ in his starched black suit, where on the First Class deck we could lay out our picnic. He said he couldn’t offer us a normal table where lunch would be served, but suggested with a delightful conspiratorial whisper, that we head for the small tables at the front of the cabin. We did, and were soon toasting our good fortune to be sharing this fine nautical adventure together.

Before long we dispersed to roam the elegant old steamboat. I was mesmerized by the churning red paddlewheel you can watch through a porthole. Passengers can also stand at a railing and observe the open engine room just below, where every piece of the revolving steel and brass machinery is polished to a Swiss sheen.

Lavaux © CGN

In the window-lined restaurant area on the upper deck, diners enjoyed the gourmet lunch for this “Chef’s Table” cruise – lobster carpaccio with orange oil and carrot sorbet, chicken breast with fingerling potato fricassee and sautéed mushrooms, then a dessert of pistachio cake, hazelnut praline heart and passion-fruit sauce. All this with 5-star panoramas passing by from the middle of Lake Geneva.

On the decks outside the cabins, you find an international mix of visitors and locals leaning in to the breeze, soaking up the sun and snacking on chips, sandwiches and drinks they’ve purchased onboard. Most passengers are there for the first or second time, but some locals who live near the various towns along the lake where CGN boats stop, buy a cruise ticket as a scenic alternative to a day at a lakeside beach. One American expat said she’s been coming on Lake Geneva voyages for 50 years. She has the Swiss train system’s General Pass that allows access not only to trains, buses and trams throughout Switzerland at no additional cost, but also to the CGN boats.

Relaxing on the deck © CGN

The Savoie is one of five handsome Belle Epoque paddlewheel steamboats operated on Lake Geneva by CGN. Three other similar paddleboats run on diesel electric power. CGN also offers cruises on modern motorboats, including one with hydrojet propulsion.

But the grand Belle Epoque paddlewheel craft are the queens of the fleet. The 68-meter Savoie, which began plying the calm waters of Lake Geneva more than 100 years ago, stops at Geneva, Yvoire, Hermance, Nyon and other towns on its various cruises. CGN paddlewheelers also stop at towns farther east, including Lausanne, Montreux, Chillon, Evian and others.

We stopped at Yvoire to enjoy a second lunch of fresh perch from the lake at Hotel Restaurant du Port. Then we strolled the cobblestone lanes lined with boutiques and cafés, an all-too-brief interlude before the Savoie returned to take us home to Geneva.

Yvoire © CGN

I asked a crew member if we might visit the pilot-house and meet the captain. Soon, there we were, talking with Captain Patrick Schaffner, a CGN captain since 2012. He explained that it takes longer than we might think to turn around a 68-meter paddlewheeler. But he conceded that he has a very fine job indeed. “Sometimes we forget what a beautiful boat we have”, he said. Any passenger may ask for such a visit to the pilot-house. On a normal day with good weather, the answer is usually yes, though small children are not permitted.

Captain Patrick Schaffner © Bill Harby

Back in Geneva, the boat docked, and we disembarked. Just minutes later, the graceful Savoie pulled away, already churning up new memories.

Choose your Cruise CGN offers lots of cruise options: day or evening, gourmet meal or no meal, 1st class or 2nd, 35 various possible destinations all along the lake – or no destination at all.

There are gourmet cruises  that criss-cross the lake from various locations, and a Lavaux  wine tour , which includes sampling local vintages.

The gourmet cruise “ Patrimoine Tour ”, which starts in Lausanne and ends at the famous Château de Chillon, passes by the Lavaux vineyards, a  UNESCO protected area, with its numerous picturesque villages.

And, if you’re too busy working, there is no need to feel left out. CGN runs afterwork cruises  which leave Lausanne every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening at 18:05.

For a full list of possibilities click here .

By Bill Harby

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Privacy Overview

150th Anniversary: 1873-2023

Gage Marine is excited to be celebrating our 150th anniversary this year! Since 1873, we have been living our core values, With a passion for fun, and a commitment to excellence, we serve our customers, colleagues, and our community. We want to honor our community for their support, celebrate our employees for their hard work, and thank our customers for their patronage and loyalty. Please join us for a year of celebration!

COMMUNITY DONATION

In honor of our 150th Anniversary, we donated $150,000 to local community organizations! We awarded fifteen $10,000 community grants to local organizations who are making a difference and improving the lives of those who live within Walworth County. Thank you to all the organizations who submitted their grant applications! 

Congratulations to our fifteen Grant Recipients!

• Agape House in Walworth will use the funds for their student scholarship program for at-risk youth and their families.
• Badger High School in Lake Geneva will use the funds to improve their commercial kitchen by installing drop-down electrical cables.
• Barrett Memorial Library & Williams Bay Historical Society in Williams Bay will use the funds to preserve and provide access to a collection of historical documents, including letters, photographs, and journals from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Friends of Matheson Memorial Library in Elkhorn will use the funds to enhance the Welcome Desk in the Children’s Area at the Matheson Memorial Library.
• Geneva Lake Museum in Lake Geneva will use the funds to make the Museum building more accessible to all visitors by adding an ADA lift.
• Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy (KNC) in Williams Bay will use the funds for the maintenance and construction of two new boardwalk sections in the nature preserve.
• Lake Geneva Food Pantry in Lake Geneva will use the funds to fill in gaps where government subsidies have been drastically cut for their clientele.
• New Beginnings APFV in Elkhorn will use the funds to install HVAC units to improve their transitional housing apartments.
• Open Arms Free Clinic in Elkhorn will use the funds to support their general operations to provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services for the increased number of Walworth County residents who are losing their health insurance due to the unwinding of emergency food and health benefits distributed during the pandemic.
• Safe Families for Children, Southern Wisconsin in Elkhorn will use the funds to support related programming costs of their mission to keep children safe and families together.
• Side by Side in Lake Geneva will use the funds to increase the amount of help they can give to families dealing with the loss of COVID supplements and reduced food shares.
• Tree House Child and Family Center in Elkhorn will use the funds to purchase and offer training on child abuse prevention education materials for PreK-5 schools throughout Walworth County.
• Walworth County Food & Diaper Bank in Elkhorn will use funds to buy food for nearly 500 families they serve monthly.
• Walworth County Reading Project in Lake Geneva will use the funds to expand their county-wide Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program.
• Williams Bay Lion/Lioness Club in Williams Bay will use the funds to renovate the Williams Bay Lions Fieldhouse.

OUR MEMORIES

OUR HISTORY

1870: Lake Geneva became a vacation destination for Chicago’s wealthy in the early 1870s. It was a way to get away from the city and enjoy life on a large lake with crystal clear water. Visitors from the crowded city enjoyed hunting, fishing, swimming, and simply breathing in the fresh country air.

1871: Two events changed the course of history for both Chicago and Lake Geneva. The first was the extension of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad on July 6, allowing travelers to make the journey from the city to the lake in less than a day. The most significant event was the Great Chicago Fire on October 8th, which took two days to extinguish. Many people hopped on a train to get out of the city, with some coming to Lake Geneva to find a safe haven. Many of those people had lost their homes in the fire and stayed in Lake Geneva through the winter waiting for their homes to be rebuilt. After staying for that length of time, a number of them decided to make the lake a regular vacation spot, leading to more large estates being constructed along the lakeshore.

1873: By 1873, the need for transportation on the lake had outgrown the small privately-owned excursion yachts to get people to their homes, deliver mail and food, and get visitors to hunting and fishing lodges, camping areas, and smaller municipalities on the lake. That year, Ed Quigley launched the original Lady of the Lake. This ushered in the commercial excursion business on Lake Geneva, transporting people and supplies around the lake.

1875: Two years later, the largest boat launched on the lake had its maiden voyage. The Lucious Newberry was the most opulent steamer on the lake, able to carry over 700 passengers.

1879: John A. Wilson purchased both large steamers, forming The Anchor Line, which was the predecessor to Lake Geneva Cruise Line.

1880s : It was during this time that many of the wealthy homeowners commissioned personal lake steamers to be built as a means of transportation from their homes to points around the lake. These early lake yachts had many variations but were built in the general style of our two remaining vessels from that era, the Polaris and Steam Yacht Louise. Although we lost nearly all of these luxurious boats throughout the decades due to disrepair, fires, or other catastrophes, we are lucky to have these two jewels in our fleet. Early lake yachts were used for pleasure cruising but also for day-to-day errands, including transporting needed supplies from the city of Lake Geneva, picking up their owners from the train depot at Williams Bay, and retrieving mail from the local post office.

1898: The Polaris was built in 1898 for Otto Young, originally named Olivette in honor of his wife. The Youngs were the original owners of the Younglands, today known as Stone Manor. The Louise was constructed for John Mitchell and his wife Louise. The Mitchells were longtime residents on what is today known as Maytag Point.

1910: A road that led all the way around Lake Geneva was constructed.

1916: George Goodman, the owner of a small boat livery, won the government contract to deliver mail to the lakeshore residents, starting the tradition that survives today. The following year, the Wisconsin Transportation Company was formed, buying out George Goodman and acquiring the contract for mail delivery. They used the original Walworth boat to make the daily trip until it was retired in 1965. The current Walworth was launched that same year to replace its predecessor.

In that same year, the company purchased property in Williams Bay as a service and winter storage facility for their fleet of boats. It didn’t take long for boat owners to start bringing their boats to our facility for their service needs.

1958:  Russell Gage purchased the excursion fleet, including the first Walworth, Polaris, and Steam Yacht Louise, as well as other yachts from the same era. He gave new life to the fleet by painting the boats vibrant colors and naming the vessels after local communities. Perhaps his greatest contribution was to begin rebuilding the large vessels that began the commercial excursion industry on Lake Geneva. The Gage family also kicked the marina facility into high gear.

1960: Gage Marine began selling Boston Whalers, largely because of the safety and unsinkable status that makes them world-famous today. We introduced the first indoor storage facility to the area in the 1960’s and, in the seventies, we brought the only travel lift onto the lake.

1961 to 1969: The Gage-Hacker was designed and produced.

1963:  The new Lady of the Lake was constructed and launched, bringing back the feel of the turn-of-the-century steamers, although powered by twin diesel engines. It has been our iconic boat serving over a million passengers throughout her life.

Late 1970s: The Louise went through a complete repowering of the boat by stepping back in time and once again becoming a true steam yacht. Bill Gage Sr. oversaw the installation of a 1926 steam engine, which allows passengers to go back in time and get the true feel of gliding along, just like the wealthy landowners did during the turn of the 20th Century.

1972: Following the construction of the second Walworth in 1965, Russell Gage brought a different style of lake steamer to life with the Belle of the Lake. Instead of the iconic side or rear paddlewheels, it has a sleek look with a pointed bow and rounded stern. Today she is known as the Grand Belle.

1974: The Lorelei joined the cruise line fleet about twenty years after being constructed in Holland in 1954 and was part of their contribution to the 1965 World’s Fair in New York City.

1999: We added a piece of naval history to our fleet in 1999, when the Geneva was launched on the lake. She was originally a tender for the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga that spent much of her commissioned life in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as a tour in the Vietnam War. Her purpose was to transport cargo and troops, up to 150, when they were anchored in a harbor.

2004: Gage Marine helped bring boat manufacturer Chris-Craft back to life.

2006: The final addition to the cruise line came in 2006. Built in 1980 and known at that time as the Algonquin Princess, she was used on the Fox River for dinner cruises. Bill Gage Jr. acquired her in 2005. We totally refurbished the vessel, and she was relaunched as the Duchess in 2006.

2012: Bill Gage, third generation steward of Gage Marine, realized that adding a neighborhood-friendly restaurant to the Williams Bay campus would enhance the many lake centric services the 140-year-old company provides. This was the birth of PIER 290, Lake Geneva’s only on-water restaurant.

The Gage Marine property went through a three-year complete overhaul. The restaurant was designed to give a warm, comfortable lake feel with an abundance of windows and mirrors to capture lake views from nearly every vantage point in the dining room. Thoughtful details for the décor include the re-purposing of many antique nautical pieces, various doors, boards, bricks, fixtures and other recovered items from all over the Lake Geneva area. PIER 290 became not only an enhancement to the Lake but a true testament to generations of Lake Life on and around Lake Geneva.

2018: Santa Cruise was founded. It has gone on to raise over $500,000 for local charities.

2020: Lake Life Catering was founded.

2021: Gage Marine built a new storage building at the Highway 50, Delavan location. It is the largest of its kind in Wisconsin.

2023/Present Day: Our staff has grown throughout the decades from a small group to a large family. We have second and third-generation members of the company, including some staff as well as the owner. Despite the changes in our home city, our fleet of boats, and our schedule of tours, throughout our long history two things have remained constant; the crystal blue waters of Lake Geneva and the exceptional service from our outstanding staff.

Lake life begins with Gage

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Wedding Day Captures the Grandeur of Stone Manor on Lake Geneva

After touring the new renovations at Stone Manor‭, ‬I was‭ ‬most inspired by the contrast between the historic exterior‭ ‬and the modern‭, ‬minimalist design inside‭. ‬It was my goal with‭ ‬the design of this shoot to curate a timeless estate wedding incorporating clean‭, ‬modern and on-trend details‭.

Stephanie Huttner‭, ‬Owner‭, ‬Curator‭ and Lead Designer‭ of ‬Parker Drive Event Co‭. ‬

Our couple takes their first steps into a bright future, the bride in the “Toussaint” gown by Élysée, with detachable puff sleeves from Hello Bride Co., the groom in classic black tux, with bouquet of pure white sweet pea.

Sweet pea blossoms of fondant cascade down this confection by Julie Michelle Cakes, with a black-and-white china motif that reappears in the tablescapes. A winding passion vine seems to spring straight from the lush garden-style florals.  

A toile column greets guests with elderflower champagne cocktails. Each champagne coupe sports a black chiffon ribbon and a hand-lettered escort card with wax seal.  

A sip from one of the beribboned glasses or a beverage from a classic bar cart sets the celebratory mood.  

Hard to find a lovelier ceremony setting than this balustraded terrace with a vista of Geneva Lake. The simple arch of dark bentwood gets the luxe treatment with asymmetric garlands of greenery and a wealth of white florals — hydrangea, roses, delphiniums among them —by Lilypots Event Floral.  

Modern mingles with traditional on the limestone terrace. Black bentwood chairs recall the ceremony arch, as do the florals, with a redux of passion vine, plus lisianthus, garden roses and freesia among the florals in the mix. White tapers flicker in brass and silver candlesticks and candelabras.  

Take time for a tasty bite from a mix of breads, berries, fruit, nuts and veggies from Fork It Foods and Grazing, which focuses on local sources. Below: The place setting as work of art: Botanical patterned china shows to advantage on a matte black charger with a black hemstitch napkin. The calligraphed black ribbon place card stands out on the deckle-edge paper menu with minimalist typography, part of the stationery suite by Pure Joy Ink. Fresh fruit nods to the heirloom toile pattern on the china, cake, and champagne wall.

The light may be slowly fading, but our bride’s glow is unstoppable. She stays natural with warm-toned makeup and a smoky eye, while a demure bun keeps her hair in chic check.

At day’s end, our couple boards the Louise, a steam yacht commissioned for the original owners of Stone Manor when it was built in 1899. What better way to start married life than by sailing off into the sunset?   

City State:

Wedding pro team, related articles.

The Duchess, the perfect mid-sized boat, is great for cocktail, lunch, and dinner cruises. It is also ideal for weddings, anniversaries, or business outings.

The Duchess is available day or night seven days a week for the full season.

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