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Mission

Ten Chimneys Foundation’s Mission

  • Preserve and Share the buildings, furnishings, collections, and grounds of a national treasure – Ten Chimneys, the estate created by Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.
  • Serve as a continuing resource and powerful inspiration for theatre, the arts, and the art of living.
  • Offer public programs consistent with the Lunts’ varied interests and core values, while maintaining the integrity and intimacy of this extraordinary estate.

Ten Chimneys is a National Historic Landmark, a “Save America’s Treasures” project site, and is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. Ten Chimneys is owned by the non-profit 501(C)3 organization Ten Chimneys Foundation, Inc.

“I can think of no project more unique than Ten Chimneys, nor any that provides so penetrating a look into important – and too often neglected – elements of our cultural heritage.” - William Seale, Historian

“Restoration of Ten Chimneys will provide the American people with a unique educational resource for American theatre history, social and economic history, and the study of 20th century decorative arts.” - Herb Kohl, United States Senator

The Road to Opening

Ten Chimneys Foundation was formed in 1996 to save Ten Chimneys, restore and preserve the estate, and open it to the public as a world-class museum and national resource for theatre and arts education.

In 1996, Ten Chimneys came perilously close to destruction through commercial development until Joseph W. Garton – a Madison-area restaurateur, theatre historian, and arts advocate – led a public opposition to this unthinkable fate. Mr. Garton spent the next two years connecting with community and civic leaders and national experts in various fields. A team of national preservation experts performed a Historic Site Analysis and Master Plan. The renowned Wingspread Conference Center of The Johnson Foundation in Racine, Wisconsin, hosted a conference of national leaders in theatre, the arts, and arts education – to help define the role a restored Ten Chimneys could play locally and nationally. In November of 1997, twenty-four prominent civic leaders came together to form the board of trustees of Ten Chimneys Foundation.

In January of 1998, Ten Chimneys Foundation purchased the estate from Mr. Garton at the original purchase price, allowing the Foundation to begin emergency repairs on several roofs. The Foundation then began extensive research and planning for restoration, preservation, and program development – continuing to collaborate with local, regional, and national experts and advisors.

In 1999, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative Lunt-Fontanne postage stamp. Ten Chimneys was one of the first historic sites to be named an official project of Save America’s Treasures, a public-private partnership between the White House Millennium Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Dedicated volunteers, generous donors, and other Foundation leaders made extraordinary strides between the beginning of 2000 and May 26th, 2003 – when Ten Chimneys opened to the public for the first time (on what would have been the Lunts’ 81st wedding anniversary). These accomplishments include:

  • Completion of the “The Campaign for Ten Chimneys,” exceeding the ambitious $12.5 million goal by $300,000.
  • Completion of the $12.5 million restoration/construction project – on time and $500,000 under budget.
  • Comprehensive historic restoration and preservation of Ten Chimneys’ estate and grounds garnering many national and regional awards and kudos.
  • Design and construction of the Lunt-Fontanne Program Center to support public access and serve the needs of the regional and national theatre and arts communities.
  • Building an extraordinary corps of over 200 volunteers – whose ongoing dedication and passion are integral to the success of the organization.

Ten Chimneys has been carefully restored. Before opening to the public on May 26th, 2003, the Foundation updated the estate to current standards and committed to a particularly ambitious restoration. The goal was not a museum restoration “like new,” but the more challenging “lived in” feel of Ten Chimneys in the 1940s – when Lynn and Alfred led their staff in lavishing T.L.C. on their pride and joy.

The resulting restoration was a partnership between the country’s finest restoration professionals and dedicated volunteers. Conservators repaired 18th Century inlaid furniture, reproduced water-damaged wallpaper, restored the Claggett Wilson murals, replanted gardens, and re-laid flagstone paths. After being trained by professionals, volunteers disassembled, restored, and re-hung chandeliers, reframed pictures, polished brass, weeded gardens, and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. A substantial amount of the restoration was completed by opening day. The work, however, is never truly completed and continues on.

Scores of volunteers now consider Ten Chimneys their home.
You can, too! Follow this link for more information.

Ten Chimneys Foundation Timeline

1996
  • Ten Chimneys saved from commercial development
  • Ten Chimneys Foundation established
1997
1998
  • Ten Chimneys Foundation purchases the estate
  • Emergency work performed on roofs
1999
2000
  • Major restoration begins: mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC work
2001
  • Restoration continues: comprehensive interior and exterior work
2002
  • $12.5 million Campaign for Ten Chimneys launched
  • Restoration continues: comprehensive interior and exterior work
  • Construction begins on new Lunt-Fontanne Program Center
2003
  • Comprehensive restoration and preservation completed
  • Lunt-Fontanne Program Center completed
  • $12.5 million Campaign for Ten Chimneys successfully completed on May 26th
  • Ten Chimneys opens to the public on May 26th, The Lunts’ wedding anniversary
2004
  • Ten Chimneys is formally dedicated as a National Historic Landmark on May 26th, 2004.
  • Wisconsin State Governor Jim Doyle proclaims May 26th to be “Ten Chimneys Day” annually.
2005
2006
2007
  • Alfred Lunt’s long-awaited cookbook is published.
  • The Foundation’s Annual Exhibition on Coward is invited to travel to London for installation in The Laurence Olivier Gallery of The National Theatre of Britain.
  • 75,000th Tour Guest visits the estate.

Vision of Ten Chimneys Foundation

Ten Chimneys will be nationally recognized as:

  • The most memorable and inspirational historic house tour in the country.
  • A source of inspiration for the “art of living.”
  • THE PLACE for aspiring and practicing theatre professionals to gather (for work, for discussion, for collaboration, for education and growth, for retreat and rejuvenation, etc.)
  • An important resource for and member of our various communities – both physical and professional.
Banner photo credit: Jim Brozek Photography.
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Current Materials About the Foundation

Foundation News

National Attention

Nov 05, 2007

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In the last four years, Ten Chimneys has been featured in over 300 print publications and television/radio outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Public Radio, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, and the acclaimed television news magazine CBS News Sunday Morning.

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