Green Lake Conference Center ~ History ~
Winnebago Indians The first people to walk our grounds were Winnebago Indians . By the early 1800s as many as 500 Indians camped around Green Lake . Believing the Water Spirit lived in Green Lake , every Winnebago had to come here once in their lifetime to worship .
Pioneer Settlers Chris Briswold and his family constructed a Log Cabin in the mid 1840s on an 80 acre parcel of land in a part of what is now the conference center ’ s property . Their log cabin still stands in the back of the property , preserved as a museum and open in summer for touring .
As the primary developer , Jessie spent several million dollars building a spacious home , 12 miles of paved roads , two sets of farm buildings , a boat house , two greenhouses , a powerhouse , seven water towers , a small golf course , and homes for her workers . The Guernsey barn ( 1916 ) with its two silos is the largest historical barn in Wisconsin . Jessie maintained horses , pigs , sheep , and herds of both Guernsey and Jersey cattle .
Lawson ’ s boat , No Hurry ( 1905 ) is one of only three made by the Electric Launch Company and was operated by two electric motors powered by 140 batteries . The other two boats were sold to Thomas Edison and the Czar of Russia . It was purchased and returned to the Center in 1995 for permanent display and is in a state of ongoing restoration .
Bruce Kinney Lodge ( 1910 ), a bull barn in the Lawson era , was renovated and is now used for guest housing .
Lawson Era Victor Lawson , a “ printer ’ s devil ” in Chicago , was the successful publisher of the Chicago Daily News . He met his eccentric wife Jessie in the church choir . They honeymooned in Green Lake .
In the summer of 1888 , Jessie took friends for a boat ride on Green Lake . A sudden storm caused the captain to put in on Lone Tree Point , named because of the large cottonwood tree at its end . There , huddled in a shack , Jessie decided to purchase the very spot as a refuge from the pressures and harried life of the city .
Before the year was over , Lawsons had purchased 10 acres , including the point , and Lone Tree Farm was begun . The Lawsons added farm to farm until the estate included more than 1,100 acres .
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The Boathouse ( 1910 ) was inspired by one Jessie saw in Switzerland and the green tile on the roof came from Italy . It was built by Mrs . Lawson to accommodate their large boat and re-charge its batteries .
The large water tower ( 1908 ) dominated the landscape and is now named in honor of pioneer Baptist missionaries Ann & Adoniram Judson . Its observation platform is 140 feet above the lake . Its 75,000 gallon tank was filled from a 400 foot well near the boat house . Water from the towers irrigated fields and roads with horse-drawn sprinklers . Tea House ( 1910 ), overlooking Green Lake , was originally named the “ Tee House ” for Jessie ’ s nine-hole golf course . It is now used for meetings and picnics .