The Institute for Victorian Living: The Art of Correspondence

Event Details 

Saturday, Sept 12, 2026 | 5 PM–7 PM 

Pen a Marvelous Letter and View Rare 1800s Writings

Your most devoted correspondent is delighted to invite you to an afternoon replete with that most noble of pastimes—written exchange within the halls of Black Point Estate. In this age of instantaneous telegrams and incessant mechanical chatter, our evening shall set aside the noise of modern contrivance and walk, however briefly, into the quiet and more considered world our predecessors once inhabited.

Throughout the afternoon, guests shall have the rare privilege of viewing historic correspondences from the private and personal Black Point Estate archives—on display this very week and this week only. Alongside light refreshments aimed at exciting those most creative sensibilities, guests shall craft their very own letter upon specialized stationery—complete with a genuine wax seal—to be mailed after their departure from the misted shores of Geneva Lake. Oh, but do not set upon your parchment with an ink cudgel—think deeply upon your words, for that which is committed to paper and carried upon a journey of some weeks or months before arriving, at last, into welcoming hands must be held to a certain standard!

Let us abandon the terse and graceless dispatches of our era and rediscover what it meant to truly write to another soul… with intention, and with the incomparable beauty of our marvelous Black Point Estate as our backdrop.

What You’ll Experience

• A guided introduction to the art of Victorian correspondence and letter writing 
• A look at rare historic letters from the Black Point Estate archives 
• The opportunity to compose and mail your own handwritten letter on special Estate stationery
• Use genuine wax seals to add distinction to your correspondence—wax sealing stamp kits will also be available for purchase in the Black Point Estate gift shop following the program 
• Light refreshments on the veranda
• A self-guided tour of the Estate’s first floor

Cost

$75/person

Recommended for guests aged 13+

Advanced registration is required

Society members receive a 10% discount, please verify your membership where prompted to receive discount at check out. 

About the Location 

Built in 1888 as a retreat for Chicago Beer Baron Conrad Seipp, Black Point Estate has persisted through the centuries as a historic place to relax, refresh, and explore the banks of Geneva Lake and beyond. Much like the Victorian VIPs who originally established the estate, visitors can enjoy the cool lake breezes on the grand veranda, sip Seipp beer, and listen to the soothing melodies of the authentic 1911 Chickering piano that rests just inside. As one of the oldest homes on Geneva Lake and a premier example of period architecture and furniture in the Midwest, Black Point Estate offers a glimpse into the rich and historic past of the Gilded Age.

Park at Reek School to get checked in and transported to Black Point:
W4094 South Lake Shore Drive
Lake Geneva, WI 53147

Know Before You Go & Accessibility

• Parking for this event will be off-site at Reek School, W4094 South Lake Shore Drive, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. A team member will be in the school parking lot to facilitate check-ins.
• You will be notified a week before the event with any additional parking information.
• The museum store is open during operating hours.
• Except for water, outside beverages and food are not allowed. Black Point Estate will provide food and drinks on-site.
• Restrooms are available at the estate.
• The estate will remain open rain or shine.
• Guests are encouraged to wear good walking shoes and to dress for the weather.
• The first floor of the estate is ADA accessible.
• Guests with additional mobility needs are encouraged to contact the site directly for direct access to the estate at [email protected] or 262-248-1888.

Have questions?

For more information, please contact the box office at 608-264-4848 or [email protected].