Thunderbird Lodge Boat Rentals

The Thunderbird Lodge is a historic estate sitting along Tahoe’s east shore. It comprises 6.5 acres of beautiful Tahoe Lakefront. The lodge was owned by George Whittell Jr. who became one of the richest men in California after hitting it big in the stock market and inheriting money from his fathers day. To avoid the higher California income he decided to build a summer home in Nevada along with 27 miles of Lake Tahoe, Nevada shoreline and 40,000.

At the time of purchase in 1935 he paid 2.7 mil or $81 an acre. In 1936, construction began on the lodge and was completed 2.5 years later. Alongside the main home was a Card House, Cook and Butlers house, a Caretaker's cabin, Admiral’s House, a private jail cell, Gatehouse and a Boathouse with a 600 ft tunnel where he kept his 55 foot custom, wooden yacht called The Thunderbird. There was also an Elephant house where Whitell kept his pet Elephant, Mingo. He loved exotic animals and also had a pet lion named Bill that went everywhere with him. He never built any additional guest rooms as Whitell did not want to have any overnight guests.

As he grew older, Whitell loved the quiet, seclusive atmosphere of his summer residence. He would scare away unwanted visitors with a loud siren. George died of melanoma in 1969. The estate has been purchased by several different owners since Whitell. It is now owned by the non-profit Thunderbird Preservation Society. It still remains a popular attraction to see from the water and is also open for tours. You can still see the famous $5 million dollar wooden yacht The Thunderbird, cruising the cold waters of Lake Tahoe.