Then and now: Lodging on the South Shore
According to E.B. Scott’s book “The Saga of Lake Tahoe”, Ephraim “Yank” Clement opened his three-story Yank’s Hotel on homesteaded land at the South Shore of Lake Tahoe in 1875.
Upon being purchased by Elias “Lucky” Baldwin in 1881, the 
hotel was renamed the Hotel Tallac (aka Tallac Casino) in recognition of adjacent Mt. Tallac and its famous “T” snow cross (photo No. 1).
Hand-colored postcards dated 1908 (photos Nos. 2 and 3) show the majestic hotel. Room rates were $3 per day (without bathroom) or $5 per day (with a bathroom) for one person. Total capacity of the hotel and cottages was 250 people.
A promotional brochure from the early 1900s shows the view from the casino porch (photo No. 4) and the era attire of its 
customers at play (photos Nos. 5 and 6).
The brochure quaintly states: “AUTOMOBILING: Tallac is easy of access. Every season a great many autos make the trip to Tallac from Los Angeles and San Francisco. A good mountain road and any good machines can make the trip. Mrs. Joseph Chanslor, of Los Angeles, made the trip from Sacramento to Tallac in eight hours.”
The brochure also emphasizes the Truckee-to-Tahoe City train connecting to the steamers Tahoe and Nevada and Meteor going to the Tallac.
The hotel was razed in 1927. Many artifacts of the hotel and the 2,000-acre Baldwin Estate are on display in the Baldwin House Museum at the Tallac Historic Site next to Camp Richardson.
All brochure info, photos and postcards are courtesy of Theresa and Darrell Eymann.
— Bill Kingman
photo #4 is great – I don’t think this has shown up in any publications has it?
Some of the information is not correct according to Saga Of Lake Tahoe I and II. Yank’s Hotel purchased by Lucky Baldwin isn’t pictured here. Baldwin’s Tallac House that he purchased from Yank was a different building built in 1875. After Tallac House Lucky built the Hotel called Hotel Tallac in 1898 see the photo 2 top right. Then he built the Casino right on the beach two years after completion of the new hotel see photos 1 and 3. Photo number 4 was taken from the porch of the casino. All this information is in Saga of Lake Tahoe I chapter 22 starting on page 151. So there were 3 separate larger buildings and then all the outbuildings.
Nice work, Bill.
Bill I always enjoy your then and now photos keep up the good work– thanks
Stephen, thank you for the correction. BTW, I scanned #4, #5 and #6 from the hotel brochure which “Saga of Lake Tahoe I” identifies as having been issued in 1906. It does feel a bit fragile!
thanks on the source
I look forward to these every week, Bill. Thank you.
I appreciate how accessible the Tallac Historic Site is; it’s a treat to roam the grounds and admire the detail that went into the architecture and landscape. It’s fun to imagine folks on the promenade in their natty suits and flowing dresses — as well as the bathers in their daring swimwear (last photo). The volunteers are doing a lovely job of keeping up the gardens, too. Lovely!
Bill LOVE LOVE LOVE the articles. Keep up the wonderful work. Thank you!!
what local local said!
Bill Kingman, Thanks for the Lodging on South Shore installment in the Then and Now series.
Growing up as a South Shore motel kid, our families places on Hwy. 50 couldn’t hold a candle to the great places from the past. A BIG thank you to Theresa and Darrell Eymann for sharing part of your collection with Bill and all of us lovers of Tahoe history.
Then and Now, a place on LTN where you won’ t get attacked, belittled or get insulted.
Take Care, Old (hairy) Long Skiis