Town Square Lobby Lone Tree Exhibit
LONE TREE FARM EXHIBIT
Visitors to Town Square this October will have the opportunity to step back in time and explore the origins of one of Green Lake’s most iconic properties. The Green Lake County Department of Land Information has created a special display in the Town Square lobby that brings the story of Lone Tree Farm—today known as the Green Lake Conference Center—to life.
Inspired by a 1917 map of Lone Tree Farm, the County’s Land Information team compiled a digital “Story Map” using local resources including books, photos, and land surveys. The exhibit connects the property’s owners in Green Lake to their Chicago home and highlights how Lone Tree Farm reflects the cultural shifts between the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era. Alongside the Story Map, interactive discovery drawers provide an engaging way for visitors to explore the estate’s history.
The Lawson legacy is rich with fascinating stories. Jessie Lawson and her husband, Victor, a Chicago newspaper publisher, first discovered Lone Tree Point in 1888 during a summer storm. Jessie fell in love with the rolling hills, quiet woods, and open shoreline, and went on to transform the land into Lone Tree Farm, a grand country estate complete with roads, gardens, cottages, and what was once the largest barn in Wisconsin. Visitors will also discover tales of their electric-powered boat No Hurry, one of only three ever built (the others sold to Thomas Edison and the Czar of Russia); the picturesque Boat House with a green tile roof imported from Italy; and Judson Tower, a water tower that still serves as a beacon with its cross visible across the lake today.
“This display is a wonderful example of how Town Square serves as a hub for organizations to share their stories,” said Kris Anderson, Executive Director of Town Square. “We love being able to connect our community with its history in ways that are both engaging and accessible.”
The Lone Tree Farm exhibit will be available beginning September 25 and remain on display throughout October at Town Square, 492 Hill St, Green Lake. It can be viewed during regular business hours: Monday–Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission is free, and all are invited to stop by and explore this unique piece of local history.
The project was made possible through support from the Wisconsin Land Information Program (WLIP), which provides more than $9 million annually to Wisconsin counties for the modernization of local land records. This statewide program helps ensure that communities like Green Lake can preserve, interpret, and share their history with the public.