Tahoe City in Placer County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Lake Tahoe Outlet Works and Gatekeepers Cabin

Photographed By Syd Whittle, August 14, 2010

1. Lake Tahoe Outlet Works and Gatekeepers Cabin Marker

Inscription. The first outlet works were constructed in 1870 by Colonel A.W. Von Schmidt. The stone and timber crib structure soon passed to the Donner Lumber & Boom Co. who continued to regulate, for a fee, the water flow for floatation of logs and, later, power generation. The timber and power helped to shore up the wealth of the Comstock Lode. By 1913, the U.S. Reclamation Service completed the present structure to serve the Newlands Irrigation Project. Contractual flow regulations demanded tending of the gates for which a cabin was built in 1910 to house the gatekeeper. The cabin served until 1968, was destroyed by fire in 1978 and the present cabin was completed in 1981.

Erected 1981 by North Lake Tahoe Historical Society, Julia C. Bulette Chapter No. 1864, Snowshoe Thompson Chapter No. 1827 and Chief Truckee Chapter No. 3691 – E Clampus Vitus. (Marker Number 797.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks, and the E Clampus Vitus series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.

Location. 39° 9.997′ N, 120° 8.607′ W. Marker is in Tahoe City, California, in Placer County. Marker can be reached from West Lake

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Boulevard (State Highway 89) west of Highway 28, on the right when traveling east. Marker is mounted at the base of the flagpole at the Gatekeeper’s Log Cabin Museum – William B. Layton Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 130 West Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City CA 96145, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Duane Leroy Bliss (here, next to this marker); William B. Layton Park (within shouting distance of this marker); The Plentiful Lake (within shouting distance of this marker); Lake Tahoe (within shouting distance of this marker); A Tradition of Basketmaking (within shouting distance of this marker); The Gatekeeper’s Cabin and Museum (within shouting distance of this marker); A Safe Harbor (within shouting distance of this marker); The Sacred Lake (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tahoe City.

Regarding Lake Tahoe Outlet Works and Gatekeepers Cabin. This site was designated as California Registered Historical Landmark No. 797 on September 16, 1964
Statement of Significance:
Conflicting control of these gates, first built in 1870, resulted in the two-decade 'Tahoe Water War' between lakeshore owners and downstream Truckee River water users. The dispute was settled in 1910-11 when techniques for determining water content in snow, developed by Dr. James

Lake Tahoe Outlet Works and Gatekeepers Cabin Marker With The Gatekeepers Museum in the Background image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Syd Whittle, August 14, 2010

2. Lake Tahoe Outlet Works and Gatekeepers Cabin Marker With The Gatekeepers Museum in the Background

E. Church, Jr., made possible the accurate prediction and control of the seasonal rise in lake and river levels.

Lake Tahoe Outlet Works image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Syd Whittle, August 14, 2010

3. Lake Tahoe Outlet Works

Photographed By Syd Whittle, August 14, 2010

4. Lake Tahoe Outlet Works

The Gatekeepers Cabin Museum image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Syd Whittle, August 14, 2010

5. The Gatekeepers Cabin Museum

The Gatekeeper's Cabin image. Click for full size.

6. The Gatekeeper's Cabin

This photo of the original Gatekeeper's Cabin is on display at the Watson Cabin Museum at 560 North Lake Boulevard. The description accompanying the photo reads:

The Gatekeeper's Cabin - 1910
Robert M. Watson built the original Gatekeeper's Cabin which stood until 1978, when it was destroyed by fire. Today the rebuilt Gatekeeper's Cabin is a museum housing local history exhibits and the Marion Steinback Indian Basket collection.

Lake Tahoe Dam Centennial Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, August 31, 2014

7. Lake Tahoe Dam Centennial Marker

Source of Truckee River at Lake Tahoe image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, August 31, 2014

8. Source of Truckee River at Lake Tahoe

Sixty-three streams flow into Lake Tahoe, but the Truckee River is the lake's only outlet.

After flowing through the Lake Tahoe Outlet Gates, the Truckee River meanders northeast through the Sierra Nevada to the town of Truckee then turns east and flows into Nevada, through Reno and Sparks and Fernley. After flowing for 121 miles, it empties into the southern end of Pyramid Lake which has no outlet.

The Truckee River is one of only two California rivers which flow from west to east. The other is the Carson River, named for Kit Carson.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 16, 2010, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,107 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on December 12, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 16, 2010, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 6. submitted on August 17, 2010, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 7, 8. submitted on April 3, 2020, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.