Ten Chimneys — Attraction in Town of Genesee

My family and I went on a tour of the Ten Chimneys back in July of 2022. Ten Chimneys is a beautiful place to visit! There are many fascinating stories to hear about the adored Broadway couple, Alfred Lunt & Lynn Fontanne. They offer 2 tours per day, we went on the second/last tour of the day. Everyone takes a shuttle bus from the meeting point to where the actual tour takes place, which was a nice accommodation.

The docent who guided us throughout our tour was very educated on the lives of Alfred & Lynn, and the history of the Ten Chimneys. But despite her expertise in the Chimneys history, her abrupt & snooty demeanor negatively impacted our experience on the tour. She rushed us throughout the entire tour. Several times during the tour she scolded us, saying that we needed to walk faster and hurry up. Our walking speed was NOT the problem. The problem was the docent's poor ability to stay on track with her stories & not get side track but all of her extra anecdotes, and her overall poor time management skills. Plus with our tour being the final tour of the day there was no reason to make us feel so rushed on the tour. It's not like there was another group coming on the tour after us. But she rushed us because she apparently had some where to go immediately after the tour ended. She complimented us for the questions we asked on the tour but we didn't actually ask any questions because she instilled so much fear in us. For the price that we're charged for the tour, we should be able to enjoy the tour without feeling rushed. The docent was unfriendly & condescending.

Overall, I recommend checking out the Ten Chimneys, but would also recommend that they get...

A National Historic Landmark, Ten Chimneys is a gem hidden where no one would think to look. Located in Genesee Depot, just south of I-94 and west of Milwaukee, WI, it served as home for Broadway actors Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt and country retreat for a host of Broadway, Hollywood, and international talent. Anyone interested in theatre will love the estate tour. Our exceptional volunteer docent illuminated decades of history at Ten Chimneys on a two-hour walking tour of the estate. The estate is open to the public seasonally, roughly May-November. The visitor center appears accessible to all ages. If you plan to tour the estate, the staff strongly recommends reservations, considerable walking and stair climbing are involved, and it's not a tour for children under 12. In addition to tours and interpretation, Ten Chimneys Foundation hosts a variety of programs target for theatre students and professionals, and others open...

Ten Chimneys is fascinating and unmissable. If it were outside New York City instead of in rural Wisconsin, there would be queues of eager visitors. Visiting makes you feel as if you are the only one that has found this unique location, so beloved by Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne as well as their special theater friends. Walking through the rooms one can imagine Noel Coward, Sir Laurence Olivier, and Katherine Hepburn in residence.

Visiting involves some nimbleness, as there are a lot of stairs, but the house and grounds are well worth the effort. Check the hours and call ahead for a reservation. Tours are small and one would not want to be disappointed in...