Visit Al Capone’s Northwoods Hideout
The Hideout is believed to have been a liquor smuggling hub, as well as, a relaxing place where Capone spent anywhere between one week and one month during the summer months from 1925-1931. Although, Capone may have relaxed at the Hideout, he designed and built his fortress for battle. This is evident by looking around the buildings on his estate.
The estate is supposedly built in the center of 500 acres once owned by Capone. The estate was purchased by a corporation from Chicago after Capone died and has been owned by them for over 50 years. The construction of the estate started in 1925. The main lodge is where Capone actually lived, and it has walls that are eighteen inches thick. It has lighting fixtures made from deer antlers and legs. Capone also had two matching spiral staircases built in Chicago which he put in the main lodge. There is also an elegant fireplace that adorns the living room. Capone had his hideout lavishly decorated. Some of the original furniture from Capone’s days there still remains. The lawn of the main lodge once had an extensive sprinkler system to prevent brush fires that had once haunted the lands in northern Wisconsin.
There is also a gun tower that once overlooked the entire estate and had a view of both entrance gates. The view is now blocked by trees, but the land was all logged off and cleared when Capone built the hideout. There are machine gun emplacements in the garage. The garage was originally built to hold Capone’s eight black limousines, and it had four garage doors. It is now a restaurant where you can dine after you take the tour. The restaurant still has the original walls and doors of the garage, but it has been added onto in order to hold an ice cream parlor and gift shop. There is also a jail house on the grounds, but its real use is unknown. The jail house has a very small single cell surrounded by a brick wall. Outside the wall is an area that could have been an exercise yard with a cutout for a guard to watch the prisoner. There is also a caretaker’s cottage and a bunkhouse. The bunkhouse holds nothing but four bunks.
The estate overlooks Blueberry Lake. Down by the water is a private beach that Capone used, as well as, a beach that once held a large dock. The dock was strong enough to hold a truck and extended over a quarter of the way into the lake. It was at this dock that planes hauling liquor from Canada are supposed to have docked after landing in the lake. There is a small storage/boathouse near the dock which could have held liquor or unloading supplies.
A barn on the estate is supposed to have housed chickens, so Capone could have fresh eggs when he was at his estate. There was also a garden which supplied fresh vegetables. Near the barn is the original doghouse where Capone’s two German shepherds lived. The dogs patrolled the grounds at night whenever Capone was present. Across from the barn is a small two car garage which was most likely used for maintenance on the vehicles of Capone and his men. The small garage now holds vehicles from the Prohibition Era to show what Capone’s men could have driven. A couple of the buildings have recorded tapes that guide you through the tour, and the rest is narrated by a tour guide. There are many artifacts from Capone and from the Prohibition days. One artifact is a bulletproof vest that Capone wore for protection. The vest is said to weigh in at around 60 pounds.
The entire estate is stunning to walk around even if you are not particularly a fan of Capone and gangsters like him. If you don’t want to travel to northern Wisconsin just to see Capone’s Hideout, you can plan your trip to include a run up to nearby Hayward and watch the Lumberjack World Championships shown on ESPN or the American Birkebeiner Ski Race. Wherever you choose to visit in northern Wisconsin, you will be blessed with some wonderful scenery and wonderful people.
