Woodbine Mansion,
Oconomowoc,
Wisconsin
Built in 1906 in
Oconomowoc,
Wisconsin, Woodbine
Mansion was the
country estate of
Frederick Pabst,
Jr., son of Captain
Frederick Pabst,
founder of the Pabst
Brewing Company. The
estate was one of
the most extensive
in the Northwest
with over 1,000
acres on the shores
of Lake Oconomowoc,
as well as
additional acreage
nearby. It was
established as a
stock farm and
flourished for many
years as a horse and
livestock breeding
operation.
The residence,
designed by Max
Fernickes, a
prominent Milwaukee
architect, was
Gothic, of the Tudor
period. Highly
unusual and
noteworthy as one of
the best examples of
concrete work of the
time, this large
home was, with the
exception of the
roof beams, built
entirely of
reinforced concrete.
In all of the rooms,
the ceiling and
walls were not
originally covered
up, but, rather,
were plastered and
appropriately
colored and
decorated.
In 1913 Mr. Fernicke
was again brought in
to design a
significant addition
to the main house.
The Hayden Company
of New York City and
Rochester, New York
was hired for a
complete
redecoration of the
house. The firm
designed and
handcrafted
magnificent oak
paneling and
cornices, elaborate mantle pieces, and
the substantial
staircase that
graced the entrance
to this
extraordinary home.
The Hayden Company
also supplied
Indiana limestone,
fine marbles and
exquisite lighting
fixtures, fountains,
even the new leaded
glass windows and
doors that gave such
grace and dignity to
the newly enlarged
and renovated home.
The Hayden Company
also had other
prominent clients as
George Eastman, F.W.
Woolworth, Frank A.
Seiberling and
architects such as
McKim, Mead and
White and George B.
Post & Sons.
The firm's projects
went on to include
the National Gallery
of Art, the Museum
of the City of New
York, the Folger
Shakespeare Library
and the Berg
Memorial Room at the
New York Public
Library.
The concrete
construction so
heralded one hundred
years ago actually
hastened the demise
of this grand family
estate. With
utilities needing
upgrading, and the
only access to pipes
and conduits being
through walls of
solid concrete, the
Pabst family made
the difficult
decision to build a
new home on the
property, thereby
preserving these
extraordinary
interiors for use by
another generation
of collectors.
The
Conservatory
had an
amazing
curved
limestone
entrance,
floor to
ceiling
arched
French doors
and windows,
marble
flooring and
curved
marble
staircase
and
fountain, as
well as a
solid wall
of Indiana
Limestone.
Overall the
Conservatory
is 12'x31'. |
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The
Living
Room
had
a 6'
deep
x
21'
long
fireplace
alcove,
Oak
paneling
with
concealed
door,
Gothic
arched
leaded
glass
windows
and
doors,
arched
door
with
screen
and
storm
doors,
carved
limestone
mantel
with
etched
copper
panel. |
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