CELEB HOMES
FOR SALE
Lakeside mansion
Milwaukee is known as the ‘beer capital of the world’ but the quality of its brew wasn’t the only reason for this reputation. That was achieved through its proximity to beer drinking Chicago, cheap lake shipping transportation and the aggressive business styles of its brewers.
The success of these beer tycoons was apparent in the mansions they built from their fortunes.
They included the Herman Uihlein
House on Lake Michigan’s Whitefish Bay, which was built in 1917 for the son of Schlitz Brewery’s president. Before that home was built, the property was the site of the Pabst Whitefish Bay Resort. The Herman Uihlein House is now for sale at US$ 6.95 million.
In 1849, Welsh settlers opened the city’s first brewery and named it Milwaukee Brewery. A German competitor opened a second brewery and more followed. It became home to some of the country’s largest brewers such as Pabst, Schlitz, Miller and Blatz.
Schlitz became known as Milwaukee’s namesake beer and was considered ‘the beer that made Milwaukee famous.’ It was advertised under the slogan ‘When you’re out of Schlitz, you’re out of beer.’
The Herman Uihlein House is built on three acres at the edge of Lake Michigan, and has a combination of Italian Renaissance and Beaux-Arts architectural styles. This 13,717 square foot two storey house has nine bedrooms and eight baths.
Many upgrades have been undertaken since 2018, and include a new kitchen, boiler, air conditioning system and elegant surface materials. The interior spaces comprise public formal rooms, a library, a billiards room, a fitness centre, a home theatre, staff quarters and a wine cellar. There are four fireplaces, a wet bar and under-floor heating. The floors are of hardwood and marble.
This estate’s landscape design is symmetrical in form and sits in the middle of the property with a long reflecting pool at the front. The rear landscaping focusses on Lake Michigan’s water views and has terraced walkways leading to the water’s edge.
The mansion was designed with entertaining in mind – be it intimate or hosting a large group. One of the home’s owners in the 1990s was Warren Buffett’s Emmy Award-winning son Peter who composed music for Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves in a recording studio that he had installed in the house.