The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-09-12

finally the Swiss Confederation is in Itself a sort
of League of Nations. From the practical view
point the city of Geneva is attractive, not too large,
and centrally located for many of the members Of
the league.
In fact, the enthusiasts say that considering
Geneva's past, it's long history full of struggles
and suffering through which 1t won it's freedom, 1t
would appear that from all time this city has been
predestined to become the capital of the intangible
kingdom Of all free peoples, united to defend, not
only their rights and liberty, but also the rights
and liberty of others.
The requirements for a location stipulated fifteen
hundred meters along the edge of the lake, en-
bracing large properties; a port for hydrOplanes,
facing the Alps and having access by land and
water. Within the walls of the small territorial
district of Geneva, amid the country adorned with
parks and decked with gardens, several. estates
were available to the representatives of the differ
ent nations.
The parish of Genthod, about four miles out
from the town, perhaps the more readily fulflls
these conditions. GenthOd, one of the oldest viii
lagos. was a part Of the bishop of Geneva's prop
erty. In 1885 it became the property of the re-
public and is Enclosed in the land that the Bernese
took from the duke of Savoy. An unusually beau
tiful spot, looking down upon the lake from time
immemorial, 1t has been a chosen place for the
Genevans.
In the tenth century the noblemen replaced the
country house of their forefathers by beautiful
estates; gardens were laid out and planted. Two
of these estates with the houses intact, rendered
all the more beautiful by the passing of time, with
avenues and venerable woods, were first chosen.
The Creux de GenthOd belongs to the family de
Saussure and the de Pourtales estate. The Bar
tholOni estate adjoining was added it is Occu-
pied by a large modern house called the Chateau
Rouge. On the other side is the property of Ell
ward Naville, the Psychologist, temporary presi-
dent of the international Red Cross.
Spacious grounds that belonged to the estate of
he naturalist and philosopher Charles Bonnet,
were also secured. Incidentally, one of the
eighteenth century houses on the Bonnet property
was taken stone by stone to Geneva and scrupu-
lousy reconstructed. Growing this long hillock
with It's gentle slopes is q plateau inclined toward
he Jura mountains, the crest line which fills the
horizon. f..
This presents q magnificent panorama for a dis
lance of over a mile along the lake shore, and a
mile and a half inland, half of the township Of
Genthod, bounded on the north by the Versoix
river and on the south by q road and crossed by
the Geneva Berne railroad and the route TO
Lausanne.
The most ancient Of these estates, and the most
Aymmetrical, Is the Creux de Genthod. 1t was
Quilt by Ami Lullin, theologian, professor and col
sector Of rare manuscripts. Blondel, the great
French architect, drew the plans. In 1923 he
planned the gardens and park. This house became
The property Of the naturalist, Horce Benedict de
Haussure, who married the granddaughter Of Ami
sallin. De Saussure's house adjoined that Of his