Thunderbird Lodge: The Estate that Preserved Tahoe’s East Shore

Thunderbird Lodge: The Estate that Preserved Tahoe’s East Shore

Along the rugged eastern shoreline of Lake Tahoe sits one of the basin’s most storied estates: Thunderbird Lodge. Nearly a century after construction began in 1936, the lodge remains not only an architectural landmark, but a lasting symbol of a singular vision that helped shape Lake Tahoe as it is known today. The Vision of George Whittell Jr.  The story of Thunderbird Lodge begins with George Whittell Jr., an eccentric San Francisco heir whose …