Lake Tahoe, located in the beautiful Sierra Nevada, is a large freshwater lake that spans the border of California and Nevada, just west of Nevada’s capital, Carson City. For many centuries the lake has attracted people to its shores, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that the areas surrounding the lake began to see permanent settlement. During the years of western migration when newly established railroads began to stretch past the lake and into California, more and more people were exposed to the breathtaking sights of Lake Tahoe, and the area gained a sparkling reputation as a vacation spot. By the late 19th century, many wealthy San Franciscans were frequenting Lake Tahoe, which prompted Robert M. Watson to move his family there and establish an inn on the north shore named the Tahoe House in 1887. This spurred further development, including the Tahoe Tavern and Tallac House on the west shore, Glenbrook Inn on the east shore, and Brockway Springs Hotel on the north shore. In the early 1900’s, some of Tahoe’s major attractions were the casinos popping up on the north shore, such as the Ta-Neva-Ho (now Cal-Neva Resort) which opened in Crystal Bay in 1927. Cal-Neva attracted many of Hollywood’s elite throughout its first decades, including Frank Sinatra (who owned the casino from 1960-3), Marilynn Monroe, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.

But despite these glamorous hotels and casinos, nothing brought more attention to the Lake Tahoe area than the ski industry. After WWI, when skiing rose in popularity as a major sport for recreation and competition, it was only natural that ski enthusiasts were attracted to the powdery peaks of the Sierra Nevada. An investor team including Walt Disney chose the mountains along the Donner Pass as a prime location for a ski resort, and in 1938, the Sugar Bowl resort opened, which would soon feature the first ski lift in California, and the first gondola in the nation. In 1960, North Lake Tahoe received international attention as host to the first televised Winter Olympics, which resulted in a major boost in tourism to the area.

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