Historic Boats of Lake Tahoe

Studying the Historic Boats of Lake Tahoe reveals that the first vessels on the lake were undoubtedly dugouts crafted by the Washoe Indians. The introduction of steamships to Lake Tahoe occurred in 1864, with their peak period spanning from 1890 to 1895. However, steamers navigated the lake for nearly 70 years in total.

Between these years, the vast majority of the people living in the Tahoe Basin were workers involved in harvesting, transporting and milling lumber for the Comstock Lode in Nevada. Only after almost the entire basin was clear cut of timber and the Comstock Lode diminished did tourism begin around the turn of the century.

S.S. Tahoe

The Governor Blasdel was the first steamship launched in 1864. It was 42 feet long with a 24-foot beam, a wood hull and a side paddle wheel. The last to be launched in 1896 was the steel hulled S.S. Tahoe. In between, dozens of steamships plied the waters of Lake Tahoe. The S.S. Tahoe was the largest and most famous of the Tahoe steamers. She was 169 feet long with an 18-foot beam and could accommodate 200 passengers.

Called the “Queen of the Lake ” she steamed around the lake for almost 40

years. Owned by the Bliss family of Glenbrook, built by Union Iron Works in San Francisco, her parts were carted overland and assembled in Glenbrook. As a rule, S.S. Tahoe kept a regular schedule leaving the Tahoe Tavern railroad pier at 9:10 every morning in the summer. After many stops including depositing guests at EJ Baldwin’s Tallac Hotel, she returned daily at 5:00 PM.

Baldwin Boats

The steamers Nevada later named the Tallac, the Mamie and the Happy Day were all owned by EJ Baldwin, operated from the Tallac Pier during this time. The demise of the steamers corresponded with the rise of the automobile. Although the first automobile appeared in Tahoe around 1910, a fully accessible road did not circumnavigate Lake Tahoe until 1935.

Tevis and Pope Boats

The boats relevant to this boat house were the 72-foot Consuelo, built in 1909 belonging to the Tevis’s and the 60-foot Sheik built in 1924 and named for Rudolph Valentino’s movie “The Sheik.” The Tevis fortunes were at their height when they took delivery on Consuelo and with a price tag of $60,000 (more than the average worker would earn in a lifetime. She represented the most flagrant display of wealth yet seen at Tahoe. In 1915, the boat was sold to George Newhall. Five years later it was destroyed when Newhall’s Rubicon boathouse caught fire.

Throughout the 30’s the Pope family made frequent use of the Shiek. In 1942 when Mr. Pope died the family donated the boat to the US Navy where it saw service as a patrol boat on the California coast. After the war she was on the Sacramento Delta and used as a house by the State Fire Marshal. In 1961, the Shiek a s purchased by Dick Week of Incline Village, who continued to use the boat in the Sacramento Delta. In 1975, Mr. Week returned her to the Lake, where she was displayed at the Tahoe Yacht Club Concours and operated on the lake for the next three seasons. About 1978, the boat was hauled out and ended up in a salvage yard in Nevada. Remains of it have been found, but nothing recognizable could be brought back to the site.

Tod Godwin

Just outside the boathouse on the Pope Estate are the remains of the 100-footTod Goodwin which was launched in 1883. It could carry 150 passengers at a time and cruised at more than 13-knots. She was the final large wooden steamer to navigate Tahoe’s waters. In 1886, Tod Goodwin was beached near the Tallac Hotel and broke up in a storm. Her engine and boiler were removed, her iron ribs sold for scrap and the rest was used for firewood.

Quic-Chakidin

The current occupant of the Pope Boat House is the Quic-Chakidin (Quit-Ya-Kidn) or the “Quichy”. The boat was built in 1921 by the Kneass Boat builders for Walter Scott Hobart who owned it until the 1930’s. Hobart installed a siren on the boat, so you knew he was on the lake. It then passed through several persons until, in 1935, it began to operate out of Camp Richardson as a tourist boat. In 1940, the Quic-Chakidin had the unfortunate distinction of being hired to tow the S.S. Tahoe to Glenbrook for scuttling. The boat further served the USPS for mail delivery. Between 1950 and 1995, it was dry-docked near Camp Richardson by the Lloyd Saxon family. In 1997, the boat was donated to the US Forest Service and relocated to its present location. Starting in 1999 some restoration took place including paint stripping of the hull and decks as well as removing the Hull Scott main engine and stripping and repainting the galley.

Conclusion of Historic Boats of Lake Tahoe

The history of Lake Tahoe’s maritime legacy is rich and diverse, as evidenced by the Historic Boats of Lake Tahoe. From the early dugouts of the Washoe Indians to the grand steamships and luxurious private yachts, each vessel tells a unique story of the region’s evolution. As we admire the remaining relics and restored boats today, they stand as enduring symbols of the area’s vibrant past, offering us a glimpse into the lives and endeavors of those who navigated these pristine waters. Whether it’s the famed S.S. Tahoe, the illustrious Consuelo, or the resilient Quic-Chakidin, these historic boats continue to captivate and inspire, preserving the legacy of Lake Tahoe for future generations to cherish.