King Edward’s Love Hideaway!

King Edward’s Love Hideaway!

King Edward's Love Hideaway!

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In 1917, as war raged in Europe, Chicago’s wealthy elite were still enjoying the bounty of the Golden Age. These families produced landmark American companies and many of the goods that we still buy one hundred years later. They also built fabulous mansions with a level of craftsmanship that is almost impossible to duplicate today.

Such was the case of two important families, John G. Shedd, chairman of Marshall Field & Co. and donator of the Shedd Aquarium to Chicago, and the Schweppe family, heir to the carbonated beverage company. Since families of great fortune usually married into other families of great wealth, the marriage of Laura Shedd and Charles H. Schweppe seemed made in high society heaven. John Shedd gave his daughter this magnificent estate as a wedding present. Today, it is still considered to be one of Chicago’s most important homes.

During its heyday, Mayflower Place, as it was called, was host to many of the world’s most notable members of American and European society. Included in the guest list were abdicated Edward, Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson. Shunned in England and lonely in the U.S., the couple enjoyed many social invitations such as they received from Laura Schweppe. Mayflower Place likely reminded them of the fine, centuries old estates in England with its feel of antiquity in the exquisite woods, carvings, marble, carved limestone and craftsmanship of the mansion.

According to old clippings from the Chicago Tribune, in the summer of 1926, Sweden's Crown Prince Gustavus Adolphus and his Princess Louise were guests at the estate and were said to have danced on the large terrace. Entertainment was provided by Ruth Page, ''premiere danseuse of the Chicago Opera Company."

Laura Schweppe died at age 58 of a heart attack, leaving Charles only $200,000 of her $10 million estate. Charles became despondent from the financial slight as well as loneliness and committed suicide at the mansion in 1941. From that time the house stood empty, but maintained, for almost 50 years. It was purchased in the late 1980s and underwent a total two-year restoration by 70 craftsmen, including Italian artisans and Bavarian stonecrafters. However the couple who did the restoration divorced, and the home went to foreclosure in 2009, leaving the estate to the bank.

The grand 24,500 square foot English Renaissance mansion sits on 5.3 lushly landscaped private acres overlooking Lake Michigan with approximately 400 feet of beachfront. The 10 bedroom, 16 bath interior has 11 fireplaces, library, family-game room, elevator and so much more. The exterior has balconies, terraces and gardens with lake views.

$12 million for Chicago's Schweppe Estate on Lake Michigan.

Source: www.coldwellbankeronline.com