The Thunderbird Lodge , also known as Whittell Estate , is a historic 6.51 acre (2,63Ã, ha) estate located on the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, in Washoe west County, Nevada. Now in Lake Tahoe - Nevada State Park.
Video Thunderbird Lodge (Lake Tahoe, Nevada)
Histori
George Whittell Jr. born in San Francisco in 1881, heir to one of San Francisco's wealthiest families. His father was the founder of PG & E; E, a Northern California utility company, along with many other businesses. After the death of his father in 1922, he received a $ 29 million inheritance, which he invested in the stock market. It had grown to $ 50 million ($ 60 billion in 2015 dollars) when it liquidated all of its holdings just weeks before the 1929 Stock Market Crash, becoming one of California's richest men then at the age of 49. Captain Whittell, as he likes to be called, quoted: "When men stop making fun, make women and gamble, bloom is a rose." By building a residence in Nevada, Whittell avoids higher income taxes in California, where he spends most of each year at Woodside, a California estate of 50 acres, the current venue of Kings Mountain Vineyard.
In 1935, Captain George Whittell Jr. bought 27 miles from the shoreline of Lake Tahoe and nearly 40,000 acres from Norman Biltz. It covers essentially 95% of the Nevada coastline on Lake Tahoe - all land from Crystal Bay, Incline Village, Sand Harbor, Glenbrook, Stone Cave, and Zephyr Cove to Round Hill. Whittell pays about $ 2.7 million or $ 81.00 per acre. Between 1935 and 1969, Captain George Whittell continued to collect most of the territory in Washoe, Carson, and Douglas County on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.
Building
In 1936 the construction began the summer residence, Thunderbird Lodge, designed in Rustic style by Frederic DeLongchamps for George Whittell Jr. The stone house was completed 2½ years later. The plantation includes many small buildings, before 1937 designed by Frederic DeLongchamps, and later by the design firm DeLongchamps and O'Brien. The house does not have a guest room, because Whittell does not want a night visitor.
In addition to the main house, there are House Cards, Caretaker Huts, Cook/Butler Houses, Admiral Houses, Boathouse with tunnels along 600 feet (180 m), Gatehouse, and "Elephant House" - home to Mingo, Whittell's two ton Indian Elephant. The large boathouse is housed in a 55-foot custom (17 m) mahogany and stainless steel yacht, which is Thunderbird .
As the years passed, Whittell was increasingly closed, gradually leaving his casino development plan for the Sand Port to defend his hiding place and his isolated lifestyle. He entertains only a few people at Thunderbird Lodge, including neighbors Ty Cobb and Howard Hughes, for occasional card games all night.
Whittell's dislike for unwanted visitors and curiosity seekers is reflected in the loud sirens operating at Thunderbird Lodge wharf, which he used to frighten them. He sold his yacht, Thunderbird, to the casino king Bill Harrah in 1962. After the succession of the owner, he was again placed in the Lodge boathouse.
Landed
Whittell eventually has nearly 40,000 acres (16,000 ha) of the Nevada coastline in eastern Lake Tahoe. He originally planned to develop the land into a "upscale" summer property, ski resort, and hotel casino for $ 1 million. He then decides that he "does not like having neighbors." Additionally, the development becomes more complicated, and involves the pressure of environmental protection and the state of Nevada presses with leading domain claims for most lands to create state parks.
During the 1950s, the State of Nevada began negotiating with Captain Whittell to buy land for state parks. His refusal to pursue development on his 27 mile shoreline has more than his need for privacy and seclusion, rather than conscious conservation. Nonetheless, Captain Whittell is credited for the natural and clean beauty of Lake Tahoe's east coastline today.
Next year
In 1954, Captain Whittell broke his leg, and remained in the land of Woodside, California until 1957. After Whittell broke his hip at the end of his life, he refused surgery to repair the fracture, and simply used a wheelchair.
Captain George Whittell, Jr. died of melanoma on April 18, 1969, with his third wife Elijah at his side.
After the death of Whittell, Thunderbird Lodge and 10,000 hectares of adjacent property were purchased by Jack Dreyfus of Dreyfus Investments. Dreyfus then sells most of the land, excluding shelter, to the US Forest Service - Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and Nevada City Park - Lake Tahoe - Nevada State Park.
Maps Thunderbird Lodge (Lake Tahoe, Nevada)
Residential preservation
In 1998 developer Del Webb Corporation bought Thunderbird Lodge and 140 acre of remaining private land. In 1999, the American Land Conservancy facilitated a three-way land swap. The US Land Management Bureau delivers to Del Webb nearly 4,000 acres Clark County, Nevada land near Las Vegas and the US Forest Service receives 140 acres of Lake Tahoe land without compound dwellings. The Thunderbird Lodge building was delivered to the nonprofit Thunderbird Preservation Institute with a $ 9.8 million debt paid to Del Webb/Pulte Homes. In 2009, the Society obtained property rights to the building.
Thunderbird Lodge is currently owned by the nonprofit Thunderbird Conservation Institute. It is now a popular tourist spot, with a general tour with reservations.
See also
- Vikingsholm
- House on National Historic Site List in Nevada
References
External links
- Website Official Website Thunderbird Lodge Lake Tahoe
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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