Seven Pines Lodge
| For SALE |
| Historic Seven Pines Lodge Lewis, Wisconsin Nothing much has changed since the early 1900s, from the light fixtures and pictures to Native American artifacts and Mission-style furnishings. But today, couples come to this woodland hideaway (85 miles north of the Twin Cities) to read, hike and spend time together. Some guests snowshoe or cross-country ski; some go antiquing in nearby towns. A Minneapolis businessman built Seven Pines as a private getaway. Norwegian craftsmen secured the log walls with square pegs, visible in the main room. You can relax there in front of an immense fireplace. Teddy Roosevelt gets the credit for the buffalo head that hangs above another fireplace. Woman relaxing indoors at Seven Pines Lodge In one of the log-walled guest rooms, visitors nod off in a bed Calvin Coolidge slept in. Original Arts and Crafts pieces furnish each room where flannel sheets warm your toes. Some guests prefer the newer log bungalow or the original gatehouse cottage with a fireplace and whirlpool. Dinner, an elaborate four-course affair, usually includes steak, quail or trout, perhaps caught in the on site creek that murmurs beyond the dining room. But no matter how cold the temperatures get outside, the historic lodge nurtures romance from the moment you pass through its green door. ~~~ Seven Pines Lodge Town of Clam Falls, Polk County Builder: John "Ole" Mangseth Dates of construction: 1903 to 1910 The broad axes, hatchets, and shaving knives that Norwegian builder John "Ole" Mangseth used to construct the Seven Pines Lodge still hang on the walls of the nearly unaltered interior of the Seven Pines Lodge. The resort is even more impressive because all the buildings that encompass the property have remained virtually untouched, including the original furnishings and wall decorations adorning the lodge. The Seven Pines Lodge encompasses 12 acres and includes a main lodge, caretaker's house, gatehouse, stream house, water tower and pool, most built from white pine logs harvested at the site. Surrounded by towering pine trees, the lodge reflects a rustic lifestyle that came into vogue for wealthy Americans in the early 1900s. With encouragement from outdoors man President Theodore Roosevelt, American interest in conservation and wilderness preservation blossomed at the beginning of the twentieth century, leading many to escape the cities to reinvigorate themselves among beautiful natural settings. Charles E. Lewis, a Minnesota wheat broker, was one of the wealthy who adopted this pastime. In 1900, he bought a tract of land in rural Clam Falls, Wisconsin (later Lewis) that he hoped to utilize as a conservation project, investment, and personal estate. Soon after, he hired a builder to construct the main lodge and, later (around 1910), the additional buildings. Lewis established a fish hatchery and farm at the estate and, in 1910, he founded the village of Lewis. Prominent visitors, including Calvin Coolidge, visited the Seven Pines Lodge to enjoy superb fishing and hospitality. ~~ SEVEN PINES LODGE From TRAVEL & LEISURE Magazine http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/the-wilds-of- wisconsin/2 Seven Pines, a 1903 Adirondack-style fishing camp set above a spring-fed trout stream in the stand of towering evergreens for which the lodge is named. I'd ratchet up the luxury quotient, redo some rooms in high Ralph Lauren style, and market it to those who like to do a little fly-fishing on their weekends in the country. For the moment, though, I'm content to let Dan and Beth live out their own dream here. The young couple took over the property last year, and they plan to gradually improve the place while retaining its charm. And boy is Seven Pines charming. Built as a private retreat by a Minneapolis grain broker named Charles Lewis, the lodge has remained largely intact over the past 100 years. Miraculously, the main building still has its creaky split-log staircase, original Frank Lloyd Wright fireplace, wide-plank floors, stained-glass windows, and exposed log walls that show off the intricate wooden pegs and dovetail joints crafted by two Norwegians who came in to work each day on skis. Their skis—along with Stickley-style furniture, a stuffed bison head given to Lewis by Teddy Roosevelt, and loads of old snowshoes, fishing creels, ice skates, and picnic baskets—are among the original 19th- and early-20th-century American furnishings that give Seven Pines its authentic feel. Of the guest rooms scattered among several buildings, only the five in the main lodge, as well as the Gatehouse Cabin, really convey this connection to the past. They're the ones to get. Best is the President's Room(named in honor of Calvin Coolidge, who stayed here in 1928), which has antique Mission furniture, photographs of "Cal," a terrace overlooking the stream, and a great old claw-foot bathtub. (The Royal Coachman, which has its own screened porch, is a good second bet, as long as you're comfortable sharing a toilet across the hall.) This is not a luxury hotel: the sheets and towels are well used, the upholstery worn and linen curtains yellowed, and hot water can take a few minutes to arrive in the morning. I found it all very shabby chic, but some would call this close to roughing it. Once you get into the ethos of Seven Pines, it's easy to succumb to its rhythms. Spend the early evening fly-fishing with the lodge's excellent guide, Dan Brown; then amble into the bar for a gin and tonic before a languorous dinner on the screened porch overlooking the water: Al Jolson is playing on the stereo, an oil lamp is burning at your table, and there's fresh rainbow trout to eat. New chef Jorge Rosario was still finding his footing on my visit, but the evening was so idyllic that I didn't care. Morning brings orange juice served in Mason jars, hot pancakes with thick slab bacon and the soft light of the sun peeking through the trees. What a way to wake up. ~~ Flyfishing at Seven Pines http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=InB2tZ_jUz0 ~~ For Sale There are 12 acres total including all the buildings for $ 1.1 million. You can consider donating some of the land as an easement to not develop for a tax credit of about $1 million. Contact Jane Langdon Jane@uniqueshoppes.com 1-877-355-7673 Toll Free 1-608-271-7778 Copyright © 2010 Unique Shoppes LLC. 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