History: Living at the Tallac House

Publisher’s note: This is reprinted from the July 1973 Lake Tahoe Historical Society newsletter.

Our July program is really an exciting one!

Guest speaker will be Velma Comstock Eden, the only person alive today to have actually lived at Tallac House [‘Lucky’ Baldwin’s world-famous resort hotel that existed as Tahoe’s southwest shore between the years 1874-1925].

Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Mrs. Eden was born at Tallac in the year 1900. She spent some 13 years growing up on the grounds of Tallac while her parents, the Harry O. Comstocks, were overseeing the operation of Baldwin’s elegant 3½ story hostelry.

During these years, Tallac House was regarded as the “Summer Resort of the World”. Located in a magnificent grove of virgin pines in the vicinity of what is today the Kiva Beech Picnic Area, Tallac House catered exclusively to the fashionable summer tourist. It boasted the “finest casino in America,” as well as 8-course meals served to the music of a string orchestra, promenade walks, bridle paths, gleaming white guest cottages, a fleet of fishing boats, 45 riding horses, a boathouse and pier, splendid gardens, and a dining room that seated 100 people and had picture windows on the lake side.

A fascinating woman with a tremendous storehouse of memories, Mrs. Eden has a quite a story to tell about the day of elegant, leisure living at Tahoe’s southwest shore.

Be shore and bring your friends! This will be a one-and-only-opportunity to hear the first-hand story of Baldwin’s legendary Tallac House.

Complementing Mrs. Eden’s talk will be numerous extra-large historical photographs. A social hour and refreshments will follow her presentation.