Category: Historic Tahoe
All Eyes on Tahoe’s Echo Summit
The Civil Rights Movement, the fastest men on the planet and an unlikely track formed an unforgettable summer in South Lake Tahoe in 1968 Written by Sylas Wright Imagine a state-of-the-art synthetic track nestled in the rugged woods above Lake Tahoe, overlooked by fans perched on granite boulders, waiting anxiously for the world’s fastest sprinters […]
Looking Back: The Story of Nevada’s Birth
Politics, war and silver prompted Nevada’s statehood Written by Matthew Renda The year 2014 ushers in Nevada’s 150th birthday. The Nevada Constitution, which was created at a convention in Carson City in July 1864, was sent to Washington, D.C., via telegram on October 26, although the transmission lasted until October 27. The 16,543 words cost a […]
Thunderbird Yacht Decommissioned for 2014 following engine failure, $250k repair needed
Special to Tahoe Quarterly A plea from Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society Executive Director Bill Watson went out this morning after it was discovered the historic wooden Thunderbird Yacht’s engines were damaged, putting the vessel out of commission for the 2014 boating season. The yacht, which is housed at the eponymous East Shore estate and once […]
The Dislocation of Lake Tahoe
How California’s Gold Rush led to a fractured governance structure in the Basin Written by Matthew Renda The formation of the five counties dividing Lake Tahoe’s shoreline was more influenced by what happened outside the Basin in the middle of the nineteenth century than what occurred within. As the destinies of California and Nevada […]
The Man Behind the Bomb
Harvey’s bomb remains a teaching tool for FBI more than 30 years later Written by Matthew Renda In the early morning of August 26, 1980, three men dressed in blue worker’s coveralls wheeled an object roughly the size of a copy machine through a side entrance of Harveys Resort Hotel at Stateline, Nevada, perched on […]
Tahoe’s Tunnel of Doom
A huge dam and an epic pipe dream once threatened to change Lake Tahoe forever Written by Scott Lankford Ever wonder why Tahoe’s 39 trillion gallons of pure Sierra snowmelt were never dammed or drained to slake the bottomless thirst of California or Nevada? Strange to say, that almost happened—not once but several times—with Tahoe’s […]
Push it to the Limit
Tahoe’s history of skiers and riders pushing it harder and higher has led to triumph and tragedy Written by Alison Bender Tahoe’s athletes and terrain push the boundries of skiing. In late February, 60 of the world’s best big mountain skiers and riders gathered at Kirkwood Mountain Resort to compete on its Cirque terrain: a […]
Bay to Bay
How Lake Tahoe’s early conservationists changed the world Written by Scott Lankford During the Gold Rush era, pioneer geographers stubbornly penciled in a mythical river linking Lake Tahoe to San Francisco Bay. Of course, no such river exists. Yet, in the battle to save the planet’s lakes, bays and beaches from destruction, Lake Tahoe and […]
Discovering the Discovery Museum
By Alison Bender New Reno children’s museum sparks young minds and imaginations In one room, children power a “Biggest Little City” sign utilizing miniature solar panels and light. A few galleries over, kids pen cowboy poetry, while in yet another space, little artists paint a large glass window. This is Reno’s Terry Lee Wells […]
The Top 25 Athletes in Tahoe/Reno History
By Kyle Magin Our panel of local sports experts ranked the greatest Tahoe/Reno athletes of all time, individuals outstanding for both their stats and impact on their sports. 1. Greg LeMond, 1961— There exists two different eras in the Tour de France the American conscience—before Greg Lemond and after. Cycling’s most prestigious race barely registered […]
