The Greenhouse was built in 1916 by the Lawsons. It originally had curved glass. Victor hoped to make a profit by raising fancy produce -- grapes, tomatoes, avocados -- but their gardener Herman Schultz said that fancy produce, even in the special greenhouse, just didn't do well in Wisconsin. At some point the west wing of the Greenhouse was removed. Glass panels had broken, it leaked, and the framework was in disrepair. Panes were salvaged to repair the remaining structure. In 1999, donors provided funds to rebuild the west wing and reconstruct the existing building. The foundation remained intact, new framework was built, new glass panels were installed (not curved, as the cost was prohibitive) and a system for climate control was added. Most of the flowers used throughout the conference center are started and nurtured in the greenhouse.
