The Tallac Historic Site has a rich cultural heritage. In the mid-1800s, European-American settlers moved into the region, bringing industry and tourism.

As Lake Tahoe became more accessible, San Francisco’s wealthy elite built ornate summer estates, which stand today as remnants of a bygone era.

Anyone who has seen HBO’s popular show, The Gilded Age, knows that in the late 19th and early 20th century, America’s richest residents often built sprawling estates in places like Long Island’s Gold Coast in New York, Newport, Rhode Island, and, in the case of some of California’s wealthiest citizens, Lake Tahoe.

Some of these homes - then simply considered elaborate summer cottages - can still be found at what is now called the Tallac Historic Site on Route 89, north of Camp Richardson. While many of the structures have disappeared over the years - a few have been preserved and are now managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

One of the best ways to see and experience these homes is via a scenic two-and-a-half-mile-long bicycle and hiking path winds through the historic area.

Explorer John C. Fremont is credited with being the first white settler to view Lake Tahoe in 1844. Once gold was discovered in California in 1848, pioneer traffic to the region significantly increased.

Businesses sprung up to service travelers, including Yank’s Station, in 1859. Ephraim “Yank” Clement was a lively character who became integral in shaping the Tallac Historic Site. In the early 1870s, he bought eight acres of land at Tallac Point on the Tahoe shore. The land was previously a federally-owned parcel sold into private ownership. He and his wife Lydia built a hotel at the site called the Tallac Point House. The structure could sleep 40 guests and included a ballroom and camping grounds.

While Clement’s business grew, another colorful, outspoken character wanted the same land for a much grander vision.

Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin purchased the remaining 138 acres within the parcel in 1872.

Baldwin’s vision was one of grandeur and elegance. He added cottages, greens for lawn games, waterlines, and a boat for excursions. His resort was secluded, pricey, and attractive to the wealthy San Franciscans he hoped to serve.

Baldwin was a self-made millionaire with landholdings throughout California; he also purchased property around Fallen Leaf Lake, Taylor Creek, and Tallac Point.

Clement and Baldwin famously did not get along. In 1880, Baldwin foreclosed on Clement’s Tallac Point House and immediately began improvements. Baldwin’s vision was one of grandeur and elegance.

Yank Clement was not finished with the Tallac area, however. Instead, he purchased a sliver of land east of Baldwin’s property and built a new hotel, the Cascade House. This structure served a clientele lacking the same deep pockets as those who frequented Baldwin’s resort.

Clement was a year-round resident of Lake Tahoe and would live at this site until his death in 1891. Baldwin later purchased the land from Clement’s surviving wife.

Completed in 1899, Baldwin added a second hotel at his resort, the Tallac Hotel. A marvel in its time, the building had electricity powered by the Fallen Leaf Lake dam and indoor plumbing. The resort was touted as “the grandest in all the world,” and Baldwin added a casino shortly after the hotel’s completion.

In 1909, Lucky Baldwin died at the height of success in Lake Tahoe. The casino would close a few years after, and, with the outbreak of World War I, the rest of his resort. In 1914 the Tallac Point House burned down, and the Tallac Hotel was demolished in the 1920s.

Lucky Baldwin’s heirs grew up enjoying summers in Lake Tahoe. His daughter, Anita, and granddaughter, Dextra, used their inheritances to build private summer homes in the area. Only two buildings from the resort survive today, located on the current Baldwin Estate (Anita and Dextra’s cabins).

In the 1960s, the environmental movement was gaining national momentum. Many lake-saving initiatives began during this time, while the U.S. Forest Service started a recreation initiative.

The Forest Service maintains ownership of these historic estates and lakeshore access, readily available for public enjoyment. However, the buildings themselves fell into disrepair, and it would take decades for restoration and repairs to be complete for visitors to enter the buildings safely.

By 1990, the Tallac Museum opened for visitation and historical interpretation.

The Tallac museum, located on the grounds of the former Baldwin estate, offers original furnishings, a small gift shop as well as changing art exhibits.

The Pope estate is the largest of the three areas and includes the greatest number of surviving buildings. Volunteer efforts are ongoing to maintain and restore the historic structures.

Nearby Valhalla is perhaps the most impressive of the estates with its massive main hall that features a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. The main house is used for special events.

 The 2,000-acre Tallac Historic Site also has picnic tables and several public beaches including Kiva Beach and Baldwin Beach.

 The Tallac Historic Site is open between Memorial Day and the end of September. Tours of many of the buildings are also available during the open season.

For more information, go to:

https://www.thegreatbasininstitute.org/tallac-historic-site/.