History

A distinguished, storied past…

Once the home of Walter J. and Charlotte Kohler and their children, Riverbend possesses the genuine warmth and intimacy of a family home. Built in 1923, the Tudor-style estate is an expression of artistic craftsmanship, from the precision of the masonry to the intricate detail of the woodwork.

Walter, later Governor of Wisconsin, commissioned Milwaukee architect Richard Philipp to design the estate and engaged the world-renowned Olmsted Brothers to design the grounds. Well-known for Central Park in New York City and the Harvard and Stanford campuses, the Olmsted Brothers created a landscape in the English tradition for Walter to indulge his deep connection to the natural world.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, guests gathered for social occasions at Riverbend where  Walter and Charlotte entertained on a grand scale. The estate was later acquired by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Kohler Co. purchased Riverbend in 1985, and in 2001 it became an exclusive private membership club.