The Country Seat of Frederick Pabst 
stalls. Adjoining the paddock to the west is the 
hackney horse stable, a square building one hundred 
by one hundred feet, divided into thirty-six box stalls, 
of which there are twenty-seven around the outside 
walls and nine in the inner square, and these surround 
the feed room. The inner stalls are separated from the 
outer by a twelve foot side passage. The space on the 
second floor is used for hay loft and food supply room. 
In addition to the general manager is a farm man¬ 
ager who has especial charge of the agricultural and 
dairy operations. His home, a ten room house of 
Colonial design, is adjacent to another group of 
buildings which include the general horse barn, 
cow stable, wagon shed, poultry and dairy buildings. 
As already stated these are constructed entirely of 
concrete as well as the ones of the breeding farm 
which include six shelter sheds, each of which is 
thirty-six by fifty feet in dimensions. 
Concrete was not decided upon by reason of its 
cheapness but because in the opinion of the owner 
and the experts whom he employed, it was most 
suitable for the various purposes. As already inti¬ 
mated, architecturally the buildings were designed 
so as not to hide the material they were built of, but 
if possible to emphasize it. This was carried out 
both internally and externally and thus the first im¬ 
pression gained of any of the buildings, is that they are 
monolith concrete. Even the color was left natural 
without additional toning. All ornamental parts 
were modeled in clay and cast in concrete. The 
surface was roughened with a brush, not spattered 
on, but worked in. This texture of the concrete 
adds to the warmth and also alfords an excellent hold 
for vines. That the material is durable and little 
affected by the weather is proved by the fact that some 
of the buildings have been completed for two years 
and contain no cracks or other evidences of injury. 
One of the main reasons for utilizing this construction 
was that little wood or other inflammable material 
was required, thus reducing the cost of insurance 
to a minimum. By separatingthe buildings into groups 
and thus classifying the estate, the landscape architec¬ 
ture can be made a most attractive feature at a small 
cost since only a comparatively few acres of the coun¬ 
try seat have been taken as a site for what may be 
called the personal estate. This ground, however, is 
beautifully located by Nature, being upon the shore 
of Lake Oconomowoc where the elevation is enough 
to produce a very artistic effect. No attempt has 
been made to embellish any other part of the tract and 
the efforts of the landscape gardener have been largely 
confined to this portion. A system of broad drive¬ 
ways has been completed connecting the various 
buildings with the main highway, also pathways ex¬ 
tending to the lake front, through the woodland and 
to attractive vistas. As the grounds of the main 
residence are partly surrounded by water, one of the 
most ornamental features is a very handsome bridge 
also of concrete connecting what might be called the 
main land with the private grounds. 
In building the various groups, the plan followed 
was very interesting. As already stated the sand and 
gravel were all excavated on the estate, about 10,000 
barrels of cement being required for the composition. 
The number of men required ranged from 100 to 300, 
all of whom were housed and fed on the grounds, yet 
the total expense for food and other supplies in a 
single year was little over $10,000. 
Considering the number and extent of the build¬ 
ings, the economy of constructing and complet¬ 
ing them is indeed remarkable, for the total invest¬ 
ment has not exceeded $300,000, the home of the 
owner costing ready for furniture less than $50,000. 
The Pabst estate is situated in what is called the 
Wisconsin lake region and is about thirty miles west 
of Milwaukee. It is connected with the city by an 
electric railway, while one of the principal steam 
systems is within three miles of it. 
THE BRIDGE 
149 
