Lighthouses of the United States: Nevada

The United States of America is a federal union of 50 states and a capital district. The western state of Nevada is in an arid region east of California. Navigation in the state is limited almost entirely to Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra Nevada mountains at the state's western border, and Lake Mead, a large reservoir on the Colorado River at the state's southern border. Navigational aids (mostly buoys) are maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard on Lake Tahoe and by the U.S. National Park Service on Lake Mead.

Lake Tahoe Lighthouse
* Thunderbird Lodge
1939. Inactive (a decorative white light is displayed). Approx. 51 ft (15.5 m) stone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white. A photo is at right and Google has a satellite view. The Thunderbird Lodge is a large estate residence build between 1936 and 1939 by George Whittell Jr., a wealthy landowner from San Francisco. The lighthouse is at one corner of a garage. Jeremy D'Entremont writes that "The light once functioned, and there was even a working foghorn." It's not known exactly how long the lighthouse was active. Whittell died in 1969. In 1999 the estate was conveyed by private owners to the Thunderbird Preservation Society, which maintains and operates the buildings as a historic site and tourist attraction. Located at the end of George Whittell Road off NV 28 on the southeastern shore of Lake Tahoe. Site open; guided tours are offered Tuesdays and Fridays from mid June through mid October; tower probably closed. Owner: Thunderbird Preservation Society. Site manager: Thunderbird Lake Tahoe.

Thuderbird Lodge Light, Lake Tahoe
photo posted by rmcdmc.com Corporate Travel site

Adjoining pages: South: Arizona | West: Northern California

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Posted July 31, 2021. Checked and revised January 2, 2024. Lighthouses: 1. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.