Recreational Activities
Home |
Recreational Activities |
Tallac Historic Site
The Tallac Historic Site
A century ago, what is now the Tallac Historic Site held the "Grandest Resort
in the World" and the summer retreats for three of San Francisco Bay Area's
socially elite families. Today the remains of the resort and the
restored estates attract many thousands of visitors annually to recapture
this bygone and significant era in Tahoe's history. The Tallac Historic
Site offers something for everyone. Many paths and most buildings are
accessible.
Between June and September you may join a Tallac interpreter for heritage
programs, guided walks, building tours, demonstrations, behind the scenes
peeks, and more. A changing schedule of activities with times, places, and a
detailed description is available in the Visitors Center and the Baldwin
Museum. Though the buildings are closed during the winter, the site is popular
for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Tallac Museum Daily Summer Hours:
Weekends Only Memorial Weekend - June 7,
2008
Open Daily June 14, 2007 - Sept. 13, 2008
10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sept. 14 - Sept. 30, 2008
11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Grounds open dawn to dusk
(530) 541-5227 |
Directions:
Located on State Hwy 89
2.5 miles North of Hwy 50
Take 2nd right north of
Camp Richardson Resort
Map of Tallac Historic Site
(PDF 304 KB)
Please note: PDF format links require the
Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. |
For additional information, please call the Baldwin Museum at (530) 541-5227.
Sights at the Tallac Historic Site
The Baldwin Estate (1921)
Start your visit at the Baldwin Estate, once the hideaway for Elias J.
"Lucky" Baldwin's granddaughter. Today the main building is the Baldwin
Museum and the Educational Center for the Site. Within the 4000 square
foot "log cabin" are exhibits on the significance of the families and the
Native American Washoe Tribe. A thirteen-minute video introduces
visitors to the history of the area. Books on the related topics and
tickets for the many tours and programs are available here. The
recently restored Dextra Baldwin cabin on the Estate offers an exhibit on
The Women of Tahoe and their contributions to the development of the
Basin. The grounds of the Baldwin Estate are left natural with the
exception of a native plants interpretive garden in development. For a
schedule of events or information related to the site call (530) 541-5227.
The Pope Estate (1894)
This is the oldest estate and also the largest. The Pope Estate was haven to
the Lloyd Tevis and George Pope families. The largest of three estates,
it is the Interpretive Center for the site. Tours are offered daily
from the end of June through mid-September. Living history programs,
children's programs and
specials events are also provided. Many
programs at the Pope Estate are led by costumed players and relate to the
periods between 1900 and 1930. Children and adults are transported to a
different era having the opportunity to experience the pastimes of past
times. In addition to the programs, visitors can view the lifestyle of
the families, their guests and servants in the many outbuildings including a
laundry, dairy, barn and boat-house (with huge lake steamer in the process of
restoration.) We encourage you to take a moment to enjoy the quiet of
the arboretum with its non-native plants, waterfall and pond, and gazebo. The Pope
Estate also is the home for The
Great Gatsby Festival
held each year in the second week of August.
The Tallac Resort (1890-1916)
Lucky's daughter demolished the Tallac Resort in the late 1920's,
but visitors can still wander the old 'promenade' and trace the rock lined paths.
The Casino building foundation will help conjure up visions of the once great Casino
that stood here. Follow the interpretive signs on a self-guided tour.
Or better yet, take the Lucky's Legacy discovery tour with a guide who
will spark your imagination and let you feel as if you too were a guest at
this exclusive resort.
Valhalla (1923)
The Heller Estate, east of the Pope, is known as Valhalla: the Viking
heaven. Valhalla is managed as the Community Events Center for the site
and is operated under a Special Use Permit by the
Tahoe Tallac Association.
The main building is available for meetings, weddings and other event rentals
and presents art exhibits daily. The Estate also prides itself on a
beautifully renovated boathouse, now a community theatre, and twin guest
cabins that offer fine arts and crafts for sale. All three structures
support the Associations annual Arts & Music Festival. For a schedule
of events or information on rentals call (530) 541-4975 or visit
www.valhallatahoe.com.
The Washoe
A native people of California and Nevada, the Washoe spent their summers here for many
generations. You can walk trails that lead to the areas where they gathered
food and made their homes. You may experience the Washoe culture by visiting
the Tallac Site's Washoe Garden or attending patio talks and special programs
given at the Baldwin Museum and Visitor Center.
Please be aware the Tallac Historic Site Map is in a PDF format. Larger files can take
several minutes to open. If you have difficulty accessing this map or would like to obtain it in an
alternate format please
contact us. The PDF format requires the Adobe Acrobat
Reader to view. If you need the Acrobat Reader, please select the link provided
below. Selecting this link will take you to Adobe's web site. From there, you
can download your free copy of the Acrobat Reader program. Once you've
downloaded the Acrobat Reader you will need to return to this page.
Get Acrobat Reader
|