Lake Forest’s famous Schweppe Mansion is still searching for a buyer after two years

Situated on five-plus acres of prime lakefront real estate in Lake Forest, Illinois, the 28-room Schweppe Mansion just surpassed two years on the market without finding a buyer. Designed by notable architect Frederick Wainwright Perkins for former Marshall Field chairman John G. Shedd as a gift to his daughter Laura and son-in-law Charles Hodgson Schweppe, the massive 1917 home once listed for a staggering $18 million back in 2007.

Following the Great Recession, the estate was repossessed by the banks in 2010 and appeared on the market the following year seeking $12 million. The property then returned in February 2015 at its current price of $9,450,000. According to the listing notes, the architecturally significant home sat vacant for 40-plus years before was totally renovated and restored in the late 1980’s by 70 craftsmen and artists.

For all its beauty and grandeur, the mansion does have a somewhat dark past. In 1941 Charles Schweppe was found deceased in the home, leaving behind a chilling note that read "I've been awake all night. It's terrible." According to Haunted Places, some folks say the spirits of Charles, Laura, and several servants still inhabit the old mansion’s halls.

• Famed Schweppe Estate Returns to Market With $2M Price Cut [Curbed Chicago]
• Schweppe Estate Back on the Market for $12 Million [Curbed Chicago]
• 405 N. Mayflower Road, Lake Forest IL [Redfin]