Friends of the Swiss American Historical Society (SAHS) Switzerland Chapter

Authors

• Barbara Müller, President

Keywords

Swiss Chapter SAHS meeting, Château d’Hauteville, Benjamin Franklin lightning rods

Abstract

The Swiss Chapter of SAHS held their annual general meeting and outing in St. Legier, Canton Vaud at the Pepperdine University campus in the renovated Château d’Hauteville on September 10th, 2025. The château belonged to Pierre-Philippe Canac, who installed Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rods on the château roof when he built it in the 1760s. It then passed through marriage to Daniel Grand, the youngest son of Franklin’s French banker. The installed lightning rods still protect the château today from the storms passing over Lake Geneva. Pepperdine has done a wonderful job in renovating the château and keeping it for generations to come as a campus for students studying abroad. We had an informative tour of the grounds and interior rooms, and were offered a taste of the wines made from the grapes which are grown there.

Recommended Citation

Müller, Barbara (2026) "Friends of the Swiss American Historical Society (SAHS) Switzerland Chapter," Swiss American Historical Society Review: Vol. 62: No. 1, Article 13.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/sahs_review/vol62/iss1/13