City: South Lake Tahoe, CA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (530) 544-7383, (530) 541-5227

Description: Following the discovery of silver in Nevada, Lake Tahoe became a popular summer retreat for wealthy people from San Francisco, Virginia City, and Sacramento. In 1880 Elias J. “Lucky” Baldwin built an opulent resort including a casino and two hotels on this site. For more than 30 years it was the place to be at Tahoe. But as the area became more accessible through the use of automobiles, those who could afford it were building their own lavish estates all around the lake. The Tallac Resort was torn down in 1916, but the foundation is still visible. Visitors to the Tallac Historic Site can see several examples of luxurious old private estates. The Baldwin Estate, built in 1921 of handhewn logs, is now the Tallac Museum. The museum is free and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through September and from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the last two weeks of September. The Pope Estate, the largest and most luxurious at the site, was constructed in 1894 and has art exhibits and a living-history program. The outbuildings have viewing screens that allow visitors to see the opulence of the interior furnishings. The Heller Estate, also known as Valhalla, is a community events center where concerts, art shows, and special events are held during the summer. Aside from offering a peek into Tahoe’s past, Tallac Historic Site is a lovely place to enjoy a beautiful white-sand beach bordered by large pine trees more than 400 years old. Taylor Creek Visitor Center is just a stone’s throw away on the Tallac Historic Site Trail. To reach the site, take CA 89 northwest for 3 miles past its junction with US 50 in South Lake Tahoe (the “Y”). Parking is available at either the Tallac Historic Site or the Taylor Creek Visitor Center.