History of Lake Tahoe in Timeline

Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater alpine lake located in the Sierra Nevada, bordering California and Nevada. At an elevation of 6,225 feet, it's North America's largest alpine lake and the second deepest in the United States, reaching a depth of 1,645 feet. By volume, it is the second-largest lake in the US, following the Great Lakes. The lake is known for its clear waters and scenic mountain surroundings.

1900: Niagara Scrapped

In 1900, the steamboat Niagara was scrapped at Tahoe City as the sawmills ran out of trees and people began travelling by automobile.

1910: Hayford Ellipsoid Used by Survey

The Hayford ellipsoid of 1910 may have later been used by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey to calculate geographical coordinates and determine location on the Earth's surface.

1912: Congressional Session to Designate National Park Fails

During the 1912, 1913 and 1918 Congressional sessions, congressmen tried unsuccessfully to designate the basin as a national park.

1913: Congressional Session to Designate National Park Fails

During the 1912, 1913 and 1918 Congressional sessions, congressmen tried unsuccessfully to designate the basin as a national park.

1913: Lake Tahoe Dam Built

In 1913, the Lake Tahoe Dam was built at the lake's only outlet, the Truckee River, at Tahoe City, to control the lake level and use it for water storage by the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID).

1918: Congressional Session to Designate National Park Fails

During the 1912, 1913 and 1918 Congressional sessions, congressmen tried unsuccessfully to designate the basin as a national park.

1926: First Casino Opens

In 1926, the first casino at Lake Tahoe, the Cal-Neva Lodge, was opened on the North Shore in Crystal Bay by Robert Sherman. This predated the legalization of gambling in Nevada.

1929: Cal-Neva Lodge Ownership Change

In 1929, the Cal-Neva Lodge at Lake Tahoe was sold to Bill Graham and Jim McKay, after previously becoming the property of Norman Henry Biltz.

1929: Dolby House Built

In 1929, the west shore lakefront home of Ray and Dagmar Dolby was built and used in the film "Last Weekend" in 2014.

1931: Stateline Country Club purchased

In 1931, Bill Harrah purchased the Stateline Country Club, which had stood since 1931 and built Harrah's Tahoe.

1931: Nevada Legalizes Gambling

In 1931, Nevada legalized gambling, which significantly impacted the development of casinos around Lake Tahoe.

1931: Highway 50 Tunnel Blasted Through Cave Rock

In 1931, a tunnel was blasted through Cave Rock for Highway 50, despite significant protests from the Washoe tribe, who consider Cave Rock a sacred site.

1934: Beaver Re-introduction Begins

Between 1934 and 1949, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service began re-introducing North American beaver to the Tahoe Basin.

1934: Mail Contract Given to Marian B

Until 1934, steamboats carried a mail clerk around Lake Tahoe, and in 1934 the mail contract was given to the 42-foot (13 m) motorboat Marian B.

1935: Emerald (II) Leaves Lake Tahoe

In 1935, the 60-foot (18 m) Emerald (II) left Lake Tahoe to become a fishing boat in San Diego.

1937: Cal-Neva Lodge Rebuilt

In 1937, the Cal-Neva Lodge at Lake Tahoe was rebuilt after a fire, marking a significant event in the history of this iconic casino.

1937: Crystal Bay Club Built

In 1937, the Crystal Bay Club at Lake Tahoe was first built as the Ta-Neva-Ho, contributing to the growing casino scene on the North Shore.

May 17, 1941: Marian B Lost

On May 17, 1941, the motorboat Marian B, which was delivering mail, was lost during a storm, leading to the end of mail delivery by boat.

1942: Governor Stanford Boiler Used

In 1942, the boiler of the beached Governor Stanford was used until this year for heating cottages at Glenbrook Inn and Ranch.

1944: Sockeye Salmon Transplant

In 1944, non-native sockeye salmon were transplanted from the North Pacific to Lake Tahoe.

1945: Name Officially Changed to Lake Tahoe

In 1945, the California State Legislature reversed its previous decision and officially changed the name to Lake Tahoe.

1949: Beaver Re-introduction Ends

Between 1934 and 1949, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service completed re-introducing North American beaver to the Tahoe Basin.

1955: First Swim Across Lake Tahoe

In 1955, Fred Rogers became the first person to swim the length of Lake Tahoe, marking a significant athletic achievement.

1957: Founding of the League to Save Lake Tahoe

In 1957, the League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue) was founded in response to a proposal to build a four-lane highway around the lake, including a bridge over Emerald Bay. The League became an environmental watchdog, opposing development projects deemed environmentally harmful.

1960: Development Increase

The completion of interstate highway links for the 1960 Winter Olympics held at Olympic Valley (then known as "Squaw Valley"), resulted in a dramatic increase in development within the basin.

1962: First Woman Swims Across Lake Tahoe

In 1962, Erline Christopherson became the first woman to swim the length of Lake Tahoe, following Fred Rogers' accomplishment several years prior.

1963: Introduction of Opossum Shrimp

In 1963, opossum shrimp (Mysis diluviana) were introduced to Lake Tahoe to enhance the food supply for the introduced Kokanee salmon. This marked a significant change in the lake's ecosystem.

1969: Lake Tahoe Started Warming

Analysis of the temperature records in Lake Tahoe has shown that the lake warmed between 1969 and 2002 at an average rate of 0.027 °F (0.015 °C) per year.

1969: Cal-Neva High-Rise Hotel Built

In 1969, the Cal-Neva Lodge at Lake Tahoe underwent a major expansion with the construction of its high-rise hotel, significantly altering its appearance and capacity.

1969: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Created

In 1969, the U.S. Congress and the California and Nevada State Legislatures created a compact establishing the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), a bi-state agency charged with environmental protection of the Basin.

1970: Deep Mixing Recorded

Since 1970, Lake Tahoe has mixed to a depth of at least 1,300 ft (400 m) a total of six or seven times.

1971: Disappearance of Cladocerans

By 1971, the populations of cladocerans (Daphnia and Bosmina) in Lake Tahoe virtually disappeared after the opossum shrimp, introduced in the 1960s, began feeding on them. This was a major shift in the lake's food web.

December 9, 1972: Record Low Temperature

On December 9, 1972, Lake Tahoe Airport recorded an all-time minimum temperature of -16 °F (-27 °C).

1974: The Godfather Part II Filmed at Fleur de Lac

In 1974, the film "The Godfather Part II" used the Fleur de Lac estate on Lake Tahoe as the location for several scenes, significantly impacting the estate's history and notoriety.

1980: Development Slowed

From 1960 to 1980, the permanent residential population increased from about 10,000 to greater than 50,000, and the summer population grew from about 10,000 to about 90,000. Since the 1980s, development has slowed due to controls on land use.

1980: Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP) Launch

In 1980, the Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP) began measuring stream discharge and concentrations of nutrients and sediment in up to 10 tributary streams in the Lake Tahoe Basin. This program aimed to provide water quality information for science-based environmental planning and decision-making.

1980: Supreme Court Hears Boundary Dispute

In 1980, the Supreme Court of the United States partially heard a case regarding the conflict over which of the six surveys were legally binding in marking the boundary, where the doctrine of acquiescence was invoked.

1980: Tahoe Transportation District Established

In 1980, the U.S. Congress amended the Compact with public law 96-551 and designated a new agency, the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), to facilitate and implement Basin and regional transportation improvements.

1987: Beaver Population Density

By 1987, the beaver populations on the upper and lower Truckee River had reached a density of 0.72 colonies (3.5 beavers) per kilometer, descended from no more than nine individuals originally introduced.

July 22, 1988: Record High Temperature

On July 22, 1988, Lake Tahoe Airport recorded an all-time maximum temperature of 99 °F (37 °C).

1988: Things Change Filmed

In 1988, the film "Things Change" was filmed at the west shore lakefront home of Ray and Dagmar Dolby.

1996: Pineapple Express causes overflow

Around New Year of 1996/1997, a Pineapple Express atmospheric river melted snow, causing Lake Tahoe and the Truckee River to overflow and inundate Reno and surrounding areas.

1997: Pineapple Express causes overflow

Around New Year of 1996/1997, a Pineapple Express atmospheric river melted snow, causing Lake Tahoe and the Truckee River to overflow and inundate Reno and surrounding areas.

1997: Lowest Secchi Depth Recorded

In 1997, the average Secchi depth was 64.1 feet (19.5 m), which was the lowest ever recorded.

2002: Lake Tahoe Warming Analysis

Analysis of the temperature records in Lake Tahoe has shown that the lake warmed between 1969 and 2002 at an average rate of 0.027 °F (0.015 °C) per year.

September 2004: Ponderosa Ranch Closes

In September 2004, the Ponderosa Ranch, formerly of the TV series Bonanza, closed its doors after being sold to developer David Duffield for an undisclosed price.

2006: Observation of Goldfish in Lake Tahoe

Since 2006, goldfish have been observed in Lake Tahoe. These invasive fish, which grew to "giant size", may have originated from dumped pets or fishing bait, posing a potential threat to the lake's ecosystem.

June 2007: Angora Fire

In June 2007, the Angora Fire burned approximately 3,100 acres throughout the South Lake Tahoe area. While the immediate impact of ash on the lake's ecosystem was predicted to be minimal, the long-term impact of potential future erosion remained uncertain.

2010: Second Lowest Secchi Depth Recorded

In 2010, the average Secchi depth was 64.4 feet (19.6 m), which was the second lowest ever recorded. The lowest was 64.1 feet (19.5 m) in 1997.

2011: Lake Clarity Increased

From 2011 to 2014, the lake's clarity increased, improving by nearly 20 percent.

2014: Lake Clarity Increased

From 2011 to 2014, the lake's clarity increased, improving by nearly 20 percent.

2014: Last Weekend Filmed

In 2014, the film "Last Weekend", starring Patricia Clarkson, was filmed at the west shore lakefront home of Ray and Dagmar Dolby.

2018: Federal Survey Monument Removed

Around 2018, a federal survey monument was removed to the Lake Tahoe Historical Society.

2019: First Discovery of Microplastics

In 2019, microplastics were discovered for the first time in Lake Tahoe by the Desert Research Institute, highlighting a new pollution concern in the lake's water.

2019: Cutthroat Trout Reintroduction

In 2019, reintroduction efforts for the Lahontan cutthroat trout, which had been completely extirpated from Lake Tahoe in the early 20th century due to competition from introduced fish, began.

2021: NHL Outdoor Games at Lake Tahoe

In 2021, the NHL hosted 2 outdoor games at Lake Tahoe, marking a unique event at the lake.

2023: Updated Measurements of Microplastics

In 2023, updated measurements of microplastics in Lake Tahoe revealed that the lake contained some of the highest microplastic pollution concentrations found among 38 lakes and reservoirs measured. This highlights the increasing severity of the pollution.