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 historic property right on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe in Nevada. It covers about 6.5 acres and is now part of Lake Tahoe – Nevada State Park. This amazing estate was once the home of a very rich and unique man named George Whittell Jr.
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The Story of George Whittell Jr.
George Whittell Jr. was born in 1881 into a very wealthy family in San Francisco. His father helped start a big power company called PG&E. When his father passed away in 1922, George inherited $29 million. He invested this money wisely in the stock market.
Just before the big 1929 Stock Market Crash, George sold all his stocks. This made his money grow to $50 million, which would be like $700 million today! At 49 years old, he became one of the richest people in California. He chose to live in Nevada for some time to avoid 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 shoreline and almost 40,000 acres. This included most of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, from Crystal Bay to Round Hill. He paid about $2.7 million for all this land.
Between 1935 and 1969, Whittell kept buying more land in the area. He ended up owning a very large part of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.
Building the Thunderbird Lodge
In 1936, construction began on his summer home, the Thunderbird Lodge. It was designed in a "Rustic style" by an architect named Frederic DeLongchamps. The main stone house was finished about two and a half years later.
The estate has many smaller buildings too. These include a Card House, a Caretaker's Cottage, and a Cook/Butler's House. There's also an Admiral's House, a Gatehouse, and a special "Elephant House." This was home to Mingo, Whittell's two-ton Indian Elephant!
The estate also has a large Boathouse with a 600-foot long secret tunnel. This boathouse was built for his custom 55-foot yacht, named the Thunderbird.
A Private Life
As time went on, Whittell became more private. He decided not to build big resorts on his land. Instead, he wanted to keep his property as a quiet hideaway. He didn't have many guests at Thunderbird Lodge. Some of his famous neighbors, like baseball legend Ty Cobb and businessman Howard Hughes, would visit for card games.
Whittell really didn't like uninvited visitors. He even had a loud siren at his dock to scare away people who came too close! In 1962, he sold his yacht, the Thunderbird, to casino owner Bill Harrah. Today, after being owned by a few different people, the Thunderbird yacht is back at the Lodge's boathouse.
Protecting the Land
Whittell owned almost 40,000 acres of land along Lake Tahoe. He had first planned to build fancy summer homes, a ski resort, and a big hotel-casino. But he later changed his mind, saying he "liked not having neighbors."
He also faced pressure from environmental groups and the state of Nevada. The state wanted to buy some of his land to create a state park. Whittell's desire for privacy, rather than a plan to protect nature, helped keep Lake Tahoe's eastern shoreline beautiful and untouched.
Later Years and Preservation
In 1954, George Whittell broke his leg. He stayed at his other home in California until 1957. Later in life, he broke his hip and refused surgery, so he used a wheelchair.
George Whittell Jr. passed away in 1969. After his death, the Thunderbird Lodge and 10,000 acres of land were bought by Jack Dreyfus. Dreyfus later sold most of the land to the U.S. Forest Service and Nevada State Parks, which created Lake Tahoe – Nevada State Park.
Saving the Lodge
In 1998, a company called Del Webb Corporation bought the 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. Forest Service received the 140 acres of Lake Tahoe land (without the buildings).
The Thunderbird Lodge buildings themselves were given to a non-profit group called the Thunderbird Preservation Society. This society worked hard to pay off a debt for the buildings. In 2009, they officially owned the Lodge.
Today, the Thunderbird Lodge is owned by the non-profit Thunderbird Preservation Society. It's a popular place for tourists to visit, and you can take public tours by making a reservation.
See also
- Vikingsholm
- Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Nevada
Images for kids
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The historic Thunderbird Lodge at Lake Tahoe.
