Frank Lloyd Wright

Lake Geneva Hotel, Lake Geneva, WI (1911) (S.171)

Images By Richard Nickel, 1967

This set of six images were photographed by Richard Nickel in 1967, for the Historic American Building Survey (HABS). Nickel (1928-1972) was killed in April 1972, when a stairwell in the Chicago Stock Exchange building collapsed on him. HABS began in 1933 and has been administered jointly by the Library of Congress and the National		Park Service. The Library of Congress has digitized photographs, drawings and other data from the project. A number of HABS photographs were taken by Chicago photographer and preservationist Richard Nickel. This collection of six photographs are available from the The Library of Congress.


1: Viewed from the Southeast. Strong horizontal lines, low-pitched roof, broad overhanging eaves, horizontal rows upon rows of leaded glass windows. The Lobby is on the far left.


1a: Center of the South side facing the lagoon and Lake Geneva. Original drawings indicate, and early photographs have an Enclosed Garden that extended from the Lobby on the left to the stairs on the right. This was removed. The Ladies Lounge is on the far right, first floor. The broad overhang over the first floor covers the Open Gallery.


1b: Southeast corner. Broad overhanging eaves and extended covered porch tie into the Open Galley that runs along the South side. It is accessible from the stairs seen on the left. The interior room on the South East corner on the second floor is seen in image #5.

2: Viewed from the Southwest. The Dining Room is on the left, the Lobby is on the right. Many revisions have been made.

2a: Many revisions have been made. The original street entrance to the Dining Room is actually to the far left under the awning. The entrance under the sign originally lead to an open Gallery along the South side just like in image #1. The glass windows enclosing the gallery on the whole right side of the first floor were added.

2b: An addition to the West side of the Lobby enclosed the stairs. Vases have disappeared as well as the wall enclosure just to the left (west) of the stairs that ran South.

3: Nickel captioned this image as the Dining Room. This may be due to the assumed use at the time this photograph was taken. As you can see from the image, this area was converted to a dining area. This may be due to the assumed use at the time this photograph was taken, this was converted to a dining area. But, this can not be the Dining Room, but the Lobby. The Lobby is the only room that has a row of lower windows. The original drawings indicate columns in the middle of the Dining Room. The drawings also indicate a square in the center of the Lobby area in relationship to the placement of the skylight.

3a: Detail of the ceiling.

3b: Detail of the art glass skylight.

3c: The walls on the left are an addition.

3d: Beautiful example of the extensive art glass that enhanced the lobby.

4: Detail of the Southeast corner of the Lobby.

4a: Detail of the hanging lights.

4b: Detail of the art glass Tulip window design.

5: Bedroom in the Southeast corner on the second floor.

5a: Detail of the art glass on the second floor.

5b: Detail of the art glass on the second floor.

6: Fireplace in the Lobby. The lobby included built-in seating, a large semicircular fireplace with a semicircular metal sculpture and fireplace andirons. It is similar to the fireplaces in the Meyer May and Coonley house. Similar Andirons.

6a: Detail of the large semicircular fireplace with a semicircular metal sculpture.

6b: Detail of the semicircular metal sculpture and fireplace andirons. Similar Andirons.

6c: Detail of the built-in seating and wall sconces.

This collection of six photographs are available from the The Library of Congress.

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