Located on the pristine eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, the Thunderbird Lodge is an intact fabric of landscape and architectural features that tell a vibrant and rich story of one man and the early development of Lake Tahoe. The eccentric San Francisco real estate magnate, George Whittell, Jr., built this magnificent Tudor Revival summer estate between 1936 and 1941. The property consists of a main lodge surrounded by three cottages, a card house, a boathouse, an elephant house, a lighthouse, three garages, and a gatehouse all nestled in a pine forest.
George Whittell was born in 1881 in San Francisco. Numerous legends surround Whittell’s activities at his Lake Tahoe estate, including colorful parties and high-stakes gambling in the card house. The eccentric Whittell collected a veritable zoo of wild animals that made guest appearances at the lodge each summer. Lake Tahoe was selected as the site of Whittell’s new home because of the natural beauty and remote character of this alpine basin. George purchased 40,000 acres of east shore property in 1936. The resulting Thunderbird Lodge includes elaborate tree- and granite-boulder-filled grounds with fountains, waterfalls, staircases and paths. A 600-foot tunnel carved through solid granite connects the main lodge with the card house and the boathouse, home to his famous Thunderbird Yacht. The yacht now remains berthed in its original boathouse at the Thunderbird Lodge and can be viewed during tours of the estate and is available to those who make a charitable contribution to its preservation and restoration.
George Whittell owned the Thunderbird Lodge estate until his death in 1969. Before he died, Whittell sold a portion of his immense Tahoe land holdings to Crystal Bay Development, the state of Nevada, and the National Forest Service. Whittell had held onto this land for three crucial decades that greatly aided in slowing down development efforts on the Nevada side of the lake.
The Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society (TLPS) assumed stewardship of the Whittell Estate/Thunderbird Lodge in 1999. Their mission is to restore, preserve, and interpret for the public this significant historic site. From June through late September they offer tours to the public, five days a week, Tues.-Sat. Donors who make significant contributions can choose to become a member of the elite Castle Club. Castle Club members may rent the site for weddings, parties and private events.
A small paid staff and more than one hundred dedicated volunteers, the estate has been introduced to nearly 40,000 visitors in the last four years. Visitors are shuttled from the Incline Village-Crystal Bay Visitors Center. For bus tour times and reservations call 800-468-2463, or visit www.activitytickets.com to purchase tickets. The property can also be reached by boat charters from Woodwind Cruises on the south shore, 775-588-1881. Visitors to the Thunderbird Lodge leave with an enthusiastic appreciation of Lake Tahoe’s past, present, and future!
www.thunderbirdlodge.org |
