Thunderbird Lodge (Lake Tahoe, Nevada) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Whittell Estate
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 Location in Nevada
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5000 State Route 28 |
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| Nearest city | Incline Village, Nevada |
| Area | 6.51 acres (2.63 ha) |
| Architect | Frederick DeLongchamps |
| Architectural style | Rustic, Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001207 |
The Thunderbird Lodge, also known as the Whittell Estate, is a special historic property. It is a large waterfront estate located on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe in Washoe County, Nevada. This beautiful place is famous for its unique buildings and the interesting story of its original owner, George Whittell Jr.
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The Story of Thunderbird Lodge
George Whittell Jr. and His Fortune
George Whittell Jr. was born in San Francisco in 1881. He came from a very wealthy family. His father helped start a big power company in Northern California called PG&E. When his father passed away in 1922, George inherited a huge amount of money, about $29 million.
He was very smart with his money. He invested it in the stock market. Just weeks before the big 1929 Stock Market Crash, he sold all his stocks. This made his fortune grow to $50 million, which would be like $700 million today! At 49 years old, he became one of California's richest people. George liked to be called "Captain Whittell," even though he was never in the military. He decided to live in Nevada to avoid paying higher taxes in California.
Buying Lake Tahoe Land
In 1935, George Whittell Jr. bought a huge amount of land around Lake Tahoe. He purchased 27 miles of the Lake Tahoe shoreline and nearly 40,000 acres of land from Norman Biltz. This included almost all of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, from Crystal Bay to Round Hill. He paid about $2.7 million for this land. Between 1935 and 1969, Whittell continued to buy even more land in the area.
Building the Lodge and Other Structures
Construction on the main house, Thunderbird Lodge, began in 1936. It was designed in a rustic style by an architect named Frederic DeLongchamps. The stone house took about two and a half years to build.
The estate has many interesting buildings. These include a Card House, a Caretaker's Cottage, a Cook/Butler's House, and the Admiral's House. There's also a Boathouse with a 600-foot-long secret tunnel! Another building is the "Elephant House," which was home to Mingo, Whittell's two-ton Indian Elephant. The large boathouse held his special 55-foot yacht, also named Thunderbird.
George Whittell Jr. was a private person. He didn't want overnight guests, so the main house had no guest rooms. He even had a loud siren at the dock to scare away unwanted visitors! He sold his famous yacht, the Thunderbird, to casino owner Bill Harrah in 1962. Today, after having a few different owners, the yacht is back at the Lodge's boathouse.
Whittell's Land and Privacy
Whittell eventually owned almost 40,000 acres of land on the eastern side of Lake Tahoe. He first thought about building fancy summer homes, a ski resort, and a big hotel-casino. But he later decided he "liked not having neighbors" and preferred his privacy.
During the 1950s, the State of Nevada wanted to buy some of his land to create a state park. Whittell's main reason for not developing his land was his desire for privacy. However, because of his choices, the eastern shoreline of Lake Tahoe remains beautiful and unspoiled today.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1954, George Whittell Jr. broke his leg. He stayed at his estate in Woodside, California until 1957. Later in life, he broke his hip and chose not to have surgery, so he used a wheelchair.
George Whittell Jr. passed away on April 18, 1969. After his death, Thunderbird Lodge and about 10,000 acres of land were bought by Jack Dreyfus. Dreyfus later sold most of the land, but not the main residence, to the U.S. Forest Service and Nevada State Parks. This helped create parts of the Lake Tahoe – Nevada State Park.
Protecting the Lodge Today
In 1998, a company called Del Webb Corporation bought Thunderbird Lodge and its remaining 140 acres. In 1999, a group called the American Land Conservancy helped arrange a special land exchange. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management traded land near Las Vegas with Del Webb. In return, the U.S. Forest Service received the 140 acres of Lake Tahoe land, but without the Lodge buildings.
The Thunderbird Lodge buildings were then given to a non-profit group called the Thunderbird Preservation Society. This society worked to pay off a debt related to the purchase. By 2009, the Society fully owned the buildings.
Today, the non-profit Thunderbird Preservation Society owns and cares for Thunderbird Lodge. It is a popular place for visitors, and you can take public tours by making a reservation.
See also
