Get lost in Tahoe’s rich history & legends
Immerse yourself in Lake Tahoe’s past. Read inspiring words from Mark Twain. Take a close look at how the wealthy from the roaring twenties summered in Tahoe. That’s just a small taste at the deep history that exists in South Lake Tahoe.
The Washoe, gold rush fever, and an eccentric millionaire. The quilted patchwork of Tahoe’s past is one that must be read to be believed. Before Europeans set eyes on the lake, the Washoe considered it beautiful and sacred. The Comstock Lode brought the first European settlers into the Lake Tahoe Basin. And it wasn’t until after the mining boom was over that Tahoe began to experience its true boom: tourism. In fact, the first tourist destination in the region was built in 1864 and can still be seen today!
As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.
Mark Twain
There isn’t a single person that’s left a bigger impression on the world about Tahoe than Mark Twain. Just like many before him and those after, the crystal clear water surrounded by massive peaks sparked something within his soul to write about it.
It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain
Just because it’s from the past doesn’t mean you can’t see it today. Dive into history literally by touring the 1st underwater state park in California home to shipwrecks more than a century old. Find out why it’s called Ski Run Boulevard. Visit Lake Tahoe’s hidden architectural beauty known as St. Francis of the Mountains.
History of Tahoe & Its People
The lake was the center of the Washoe world for centuries providing a bounty of different foods to last the winter, and of course we can see why they chose this beautiful place. The Washoe camped, hunted, fished, and cherished Lake Tahoe, which they considered sacred life-sustaining water.
Explore MoreIt’s a sunny spring day.
The temperature is 63°F.
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