The North Lake Tahoe Historical Society operates two museums in Tahoe City California on the north shore of Lake Tahoe.
The Gatekeeper's Museum at 130 W Lake Blvd is a replica of a log cabin built between 1910 and 1912 to house the Tahoe Gatekeeper, who managed the dam built at the same time. The dam controls water flow into the Truckee River, making water deliveries to both California and Nevada, and is one of the first federally managed water projects in the US. Exhibits in the museum include material related to early Tahoe City residents and developers in the area, as well as the superb Marion Steinbach Basket Gallery, with woven baskets and other materials from Native tribal groups around the western US, including many areas of California.
The Watson Cabin, at 560 N Lake Blvd dates from 1908-1909 and is the oldest structure in the Lake Tahoe Basin and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built by town constable Robert Watson as a wedding gift to his son and new bride and was the first building in the area with indoor plumbing. Open seasonally, the cabin shows many aspects of early life in the then remote area and features a splendid view across Lake Tahoe from the north shore.
The natural and cultural histories of Lake Tahoe inform who we are and define our sense of place and our heritage. The mission of the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society is to hold these histories in trust by collecting, preserving and presenting them for all people, keeping them safe and accessible now and for future generations.
Covid shutdowns and other changes have severely decimated our operating income, such that we have operated at a loss in 2020 and 2021. We are hopeful and optimistic that as conditions improve, we can again sponsor events and festivals, but we also have needs related to proper storage of collection items, building maintenance and energy efficiency, and funding needs for new exciting exhibits that will focus on the Gatekeepers who lived here and helped preserve the water quality of Lake Tahoe in the early days.
Organization name
North Lake Tahoe Historical Society
other names
Gatekeepers Museum
Tax id (EIN)
23-7100332
Mission Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Operating Budget
$100,001-$250,000
Organization Need
Funding: Program, Technology, Volunteers
Demographics Served
Veterans, Youth & Children
Address
PO BOX 6141Tahoe City, CA, US
Truckee, CA, US, 96161
Donner, CA, US, 96161