sign in sign up
<<
Home , Gold Country, Lake Tahoe

ROUND IDLL RESORT INTENSIVE SURVEYREPORT ROUND HILL PINES, DOUGLAS COUNTY TAHOE,

Prepared for:

USDA Forest Service IBET Province- 100 Forni Road Placerville, 95667

Prepared by:

Judith Marvin Foothill Resources, Ltd. Post Office Box 2040 Murphys, California 95247

March 2002 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would like to gratefully acknowledge the following people who shared their expertise on the history and construction ofthe Round Hill Resort: Susan Lindstrom, Truckee, California; Penny Rucks, Reno, Nevada; Rebecca Ossa and Mella Harmon, State Historic Preservation Office, State ofNevada; and Mike Weichman, U.S. Forest Service, Basin Management Unit, South Lake Tahoe, California.

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 11

ABSTRACf 1

SURVEY METHODOLOGY 4

THEMATIC RESEARCH a. Historical Overview 5 b. Designers, Engineers, and Builders 9 c. Notable People 13

SURVEY RESULTS 13

RECOMMENDATIONS 16 a. Survey and Research Needs 16 b. National Register Listing and Detennination ofEligibility 16 c. Threats to the Resources 16

EVALUATIONS 16 Significance Criteria 16 Conclusions 17

MITIGATION 17 a. Documentation 17 b. Salvage ofArchitectural Elements 17 c. Historic Context and Popular History 18 d. Rehabilitation and Preservation ofRepresentative Resources 18

REFERENCES CITED OR CONSULTED 19

APPENDICES A. Historical Resources Inventory Fonns B. Photographs C. Round Hill Resort Time Line D. Nevada SHPO National Register Eligibility Letter

FIGURES 1. Project Location 2 2. Sketch Map ofProperty 3 3. Applegate Insurance Map ofProperty, 1945 15

3 ABSTRACT

The USDA Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), South Lake Tahoe, California, is the owner ofthe Round Hill Pines Resort Historic District, Douglas County, Nevada approximately two miles north ofthe CalifornialNevada border and the communities ofSouth Lake Tahoe and Stateline. The project is located within the northwest quarter ofSection 15, Township 13 North, Range 18 East, MDBM (NW ~ ofSW ~ of Section 15, T13N RI8E). The site is located west ofHighway 50, on the north side ofRound Mound (Figures 1,2), on the east shore ofLake Tahoe at approximately 6,220 feet above mean sea level (amsl).

A preliminary National Register ofHistoric Places (NRHP) evaluation ofthe Round Hill Pines Resort was prepared by architectural historian Ana Koval in 1991, which found the district eligible for the National Register under criteria A and B. The report, however, was never finalized or submitted to the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

In May 1999, at the request ofJuan Palma, Forest Supervisor LTBMU, the SHPO architectural staffvisited the complex and tendered their opinion that the earlier buildings were "eligible for listing in the National Register as a historic district under criteria A and C, pertaining to the resort's role in the history oftourism at Lake Tahoe, and as representatives ofa style ofmountain resort architecture." The SHPO recommended that full-scale inventory and recordation be conducted in order to develop the historic context for the resort and to facilitate future Section 106 actions (Alice Baldrica Letter, August 31, 1999).

In September 2001, Foothill Resources, Ltd. (FRL) was contracted by Mike Weichman, archaeologist for the LTBMU, to prepare a Cultural Resources Survey and EvaluationReport for the proposed Round Hill Pines Resort Project. The report summarizes all technical reports prepared to ~urvey and document all identified historic properties. Five tasks were conducted to complete the survey and evaluation:

1. A preliminary investigation into previously published materials relating to the . history ofthe project area and its vicinity.

2. A field survey ofthe project area to record the historic buildings and any other identified structures present.

3. Research in the Gatekeeper Museum, Tahoe City; Lake Tahoe Museum and USDA Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, South Lake Tahoe, California; the State ofNevada State Historic Preservation Office, Carson City; Nevada Historical Society and Special Collections Department, University ofNevada, Reno; Nevada; and any other repositories deemed worthwhile.

4 Figure 1. Project Location. (South Lake Tahoe CA-NV Quadrangle, USGS 1992.)

5 Figure 2. Sketch Map ofProperty.

6 4. Consultations with infonnants with pertinent infonnation regarding the resort and its ownership.

5. Preparation ofthree sets ofarchival black and white photographs, in Mylar sleeves, and one computer CD with copies of all photographs.

6. Preparation ofan ISR, including a contextual history ofthe project area, research on the property and its owners, documentation ofthe properties' physical appearance, completion ofthe Historic Properties Inventory Fonns, and preparation ofan Intensive Survey Report, as detailed in the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office Instructions for Conducting Intensive Level Surveys.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

Research Methods Archival and oral-history research for the project overview and specific site history was conducted by Judith Marvin. Ms. Marvin is a historian and architectural historian who has been actively involved in historic research since 1977. Obtaining a degree in History from University ofCalifornia, Berkeley, she served for eleven years as curator ofthe Calaveras County Museum and Archives, California, and the past 17 years as a partner in Foothill Resources, Ltd. Ms. Marvin has served as historian for a wide range ofcultural resource projects, producing both site-specific and overview histories, and conducting extensive documentary and oral history research. Included among these projects were historical reports ~d evaluations ofseveral cabins and an 1850s dam on the Stanislaus National Forest, the Pinoche Peak Trail on the , the Meiss Cabin on the Eldorado Forest, the Zaca Mine on the Toiyabe Forest, and numerous other roads, ditches, trails, mining, and agricultural sites in the California foothills and . As an architectural historian, she has conducted over 20 major historical resources inventories for city, county, state, and federal agencies and authored more than 15 successful National Register nominations. ·She has completed exhaustive historic resources inventories of McClellan Air Force Base near Sacramento and Hamilton Anny Air Field in Marin County, authoring the historical and architectural portions ofthe resulting National Register District nominations as well as recording numerous buildings to Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) standards. For the California Department ofTransportation (Caltrans), Ms. Marvin has completed over twenty Federal Highway Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement (HBRR) studies, two multimodal projects, and ten archaeological and architectural reports on highway projects. She is certified by the California Council for the Promotion ofHistory, . and served on the Board ofDirectors ofthat organization from 1987-1990. within Nevada, she was the historian an~ principal author of a historic Mining District produced for Homestake Mining Company, as well as havir. surveys of other cultural resources in the Lake Tahoe region. These ir. the Barnes/Everett Residence, Kings Beach, California; the Bliss Boathc Nevada; and the Henry Van Sickle unit, Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park.

7 As part ofthe research phase ofthe project, a number ofrepositories and individuals were contacted to identify known historic land uses and the. locations ofresearch materials pertinent to the Round Hill Pines Resort area, as well as Lake Tahoe. These included a review ofthe National Register ofHistoric Places (Listed Properties and Detenninations of Eligibility 1996), Historic Resources ofthe Nevada Side ofthe Tahoe Basin (Koval 1990), and general historic texts and maps.

In Carson City, the files ofthe Nevada State Historic Preservation Office relating to Lake Tahoe were studied, as well as the publications on Lake Tahoe at the Nevada State Library. The Douglas County Courthouse and Carson Valley Museum were contacted to ascertain whether any'pertinent materials were archived in their repositories.

Other major sources ofinformation consulted included historic maps and miscellaneous local histories and inventories ofhistoric resources (see References Cited and Consulted). In addition, interviews were conducted with persons with knowledge ofthe area and its history. These included Rebecca Ossa and Mella Harmon, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, Carson City, Nevada; Susan Lindstrom, Archaeologist, Truckee, California; and Meredith (Penny)Rucks, Consulting Ethnographer, Reno, Nevada.

Primary historic themes within the area focus on settlement and recreation.

Field Methods On 27 and 28 February 2002, the site was visited by Judith Marvin. The survey area included all the buildings located within the historic complex, as well as the Gate House and associated outbuilding, on the 125-acre property. The buildings at the Round Hill Pines Resort were recorded on State ofNevada Historic Properties Inventory Forms. Thirty-five millimeter black and white photographs were taken of each building, as well as overviews, and printed archivally.

THEMATIC RESEARCH

a. Historical Overview Lake Tahoe Located in Placer and El Dorado counties in California and Douglas and Washoe counties and Carson City in the state ofNevada, Lake Tahoe is situated at an elevation of6,228 feet in the Central Sierra Nevada. Traditionally, the area had been home to the Washoe tribe for many centuries. The first non-Native American to view the lake was John C. Fremont, passing through Alpine County on his way to California in 1844, who gained the first view from a lofty summit in February ofthat year. Fremont named the lake Bonpland, for a noted French botanist. The official mapmaker ofthe new state ofCalifornia named it Lake Bigler in 1853, after , the third governor ofCalifornia, and it appeared on subsequent maps under that sobriquet. In 1862, however, through the successful efforts ofWilliam Henry Knight, the more appropriate Washoe name for the lake, ''Tahoe,'' (meaning "big water," "high water," or "water in a high place") was adopted and used on the first general map ofthe Pacific ~tates, published by Bancroft Publishing House in that year.

8 It was precious metals that provided the impetus for most ofthe visitors to the Tahoe Basin. The discovery ofgold on the in January of 1848 spurred would-be miners and entrepreneurs from ''the States" and virtually every country in the world to rush to the_ rich gravel bars on the rivers and tributaries ofthe Sierra Nevada foothills. The movement that ensued has been called one ofthe greatest mass migrations in human history, as thousands poured into the region in search ofthe elusive metal. Many ofthe argonauts who came overland to the gold fields crossed the Sierra via Lake Tahoe, traveling either the Scott Route (later the Placer County Emigrant Road) on the north shore of the lake, or the Placerville Road along the south shore.

Early development at the lake, however, was precipitated by the discovery ofsilver on the in Nevada. The rich forest reserves ofthe Lake Tahoe basin were tapped to provide timbers for the ever-deepening mines around Virginia City and for the construction ofhomes and commercial enterprises in the surrounding communities. The rich placer diggings in the California had been played out and the area was experiencing a depression; disillusioned gold miners rushed to the Comstock strike, again passing by Lake Tahoe on their return route.

While the major timber companies were located on the Nevada side ofthe lake (the Carson and Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company at Glenbrook and the Sierra Nevada Wood and Lumber Company at Crystal Bay), other smaller operations were developed along the north shores ofthe lake during the boom period between 1860 and the 1890s. By the late 1890s the forests had been logged out and the companies ceased operations.

Soon after the loggers, however, came the recreationists, men who saw the possibilities of Lake Tahoe as a pleasure and health resort. Fishing and hunting were the earliest recreational pursuits, soon followed by boating, bathing in the hot springs, swimming, and gambling on the Nevada shore. The first permanent settlements were at the mouth of McKinney Creek, , Glenbrook, and Tahoe City, where the Tahoe House was erected in 1864. When the Central Pacific Railroad reached Truckee, a wagon road was constructed to the lake and the tourism boom was on.

Beginning in the early 1860s, resorts had been established at Lake Tahoe as fashionable summer retreats for the well-to-do. Some ofthe earliest resorts on the California side of the lake included the Lake House at Al Tahoe, Rubicon Point Lodge, Grand Hotel at Tahoe City, and the Bellevue Hotel at Sugar Pine Point (Woodward Architectural Group 1993:42-43). After the turn ofthe century, when Tahoe had become more accessible due to the completion ofthe Tahoe Railway, which connected Truckee with Tahoe City, tourism boomed and additional resorts were constructed. Two ofthese, E. J. Baldwin's Tallac and the Bliss family's Tahoe Tavern in Tahoe City, were extremely luxurious for their time.

Due to the inadequacy ofthe roads in the Tahoe Basin, most travelers to the lakeshore resorts and cabins traveled to their destinations by steamer or sailboat, primarily the Governor Stanford and the Tahoe, each ofwhich followed a set schedule, making stops at Glenbrook, Tallac, Emerald Bay, Carnelian Bay, and Brockway (Woodward Architectural Group 1993:44). 9 With the advent ofthe automobile in the twentieth century, the need for good roads became imperative. Increasing pressure from travelers and tourists, coupled with the passage of the Federal-Aid Road Act in 1916, provided the impetus for the State ofCalifornia to upgrade the roads into the Tahoe Basin. Finally, the road ringing Lake Tahoe, the Brockway Highway (State Route 28), was completed in 1931, enabling travelers to reach Nevada's north shore ofthe lake, and providing an impetus to development ofthat region. During the mid-1930s the Lincoln and Victory coast-to-coast highways had been completed and the (present U.S. 50) became the major access to the basin. All the roads connecting Lake Tahoe to Nevada and California had been paved by 1930 and by 1935 a passable auto route had been completed around the lake (Woodward Architectural Group 1993 :44-45).

The development ofa viable transportation corridor around Lake Tahoe, coupled with the popularity of the automobile, was to forever alter the character ofthe basin. The region was now readily accessible to the public, including the middle class, who created another rush to the area to camp, build modest cabins, and utilize the lakeshore for numerous forms of recreation. From the beginnings oftourism in the basin, however, the lakeshore was utilized almost exclusively during the summer months, with resorts and cabins opened on Memorial Day and shuttered on Labor Day.

In recent years, however, the Tahoe Basin has seen increasing use during the winter months, especially since the development ofSquaw Vailey for the Winter Olympic Games in 1960, and the subsequent construction ofnumerous other ski resorts. Small, family-oriented, rustic cabins have given way to modern year-around subdivisions, the remodeling ofolder structures, and the demolition ofmany others, as present-day lake dwellers increase the size and usage oftheir properties.

Round Hill Pines. Round Hill, also known as Folsom's Knob and Peak, Round Mountain and Mound, is bounded on the north by Marla Beach and Zephyr Cove, and south by Edgewood.

The first owner ofrecord ofthe land in the project area was John Marley, a native of England, who pre-empted 160 acres surrounding the bay in the spring of 1864. There Marley built a log cabin, planted timothy hay, scythe-cut his crop and baled it with a hand press. He also planted potatoes and other vegetables, which were sold to travelers along the Golden Road. When assessed in the first tax rolls ofDouglas County, Nevada, one wagon was mentioned, although he obviously must have owned mules, horses, or oxen to pull the vehicle.

Six years after settling on the shores ofLake Tahoe, Marley lost his ranch for back taxes and the property was purchased by Captain Augustus W. Pray in November 1870. Marley, however, did leave his name on the cove, shortened to Marla over the years. Pray, a resident ofGlenbrook, was a lumberman who felled the best timber in the forests and left the stunted growth to be cut for cordwood. After all the choice timber was cut, Pray sold the land to William McFaul, a wood contractor, in 1884.

10 William McFaul. The McFaul family, who had fonnerly resided at Zephyr Cove, dropped and split trees around the lake during the winter months. During the summer the family operated a dairy fann, pasturing a herd ofmilk cows in the near the bay. They also smoked ham, crocked eggs, and kegged butter for the fall market in Washoe. The family soon added a two-story house, as well as two barns and a milk house, to the property (located on the eastern end ofthe meadow bordering an elbow ofthe lake road, which horseshoed around the meadow) (Scott 1957:243, 1973:58).

Over the ensuing 20 years the McFauls cut cordwood, stacking it on their wharf at the bay, and loaded the pine slabs onto barges for transportation to Glenbrook. During the McFauls tenure, others, including Joe M. Short and Heinrick ''Dutch Fred" Dangberg, took over the ranch for various periods oftime. McFaul died in 1912 and the property was purchased by Louis Cowgill the following year. Three years later it had passed to Glen Cowgill (Koval 1991 :4).

Noonan DeVaux. By 1919 Nonnan DeVaux had purchased the property, and in 1920 acquired adjacent property. In 1927 he began divesting himself ofsome ofhis property at the lake, selling one parcel to John Leslie Harvey ofZephyr Cove., and another to the Nevada Elks. Tahoe Association (the Elks Point Subdivision). Two years later he sold his remaining Tahoe property, the 125 acres that became the Round Hill Pines Resort, to Elizabeth Strom Lauder Kellum.

During his ownership ofthe land, DeVaux constructed several buildings on his property, apparently as a summer residence and accommodations for guests. The lodge, the first structure to be erected on the site, was completed in 1922, with three guest cabins, a garage, wash house, gate house, and other amenities completed during his tenure (Koval 1991 : 1). The DeVaux family, including his wife Myrtle and daughter ofthe same name, also owned speedboats, the Apache I and Apache II, and possibly the Elan, two ofwhich were sold with the property (Koval 1991 :4). DeVaux also owned the Luders-built 52-foot Myrno III, placed in operation during the mid-1920s, and purchased by Arthur Bourne in 1930.

Nonnan DeVaux, who arrived in the Bay area by bicycle in 1896, began his career as an automobile mechanic. He soon became a car salesman, developing a pioneer Oakland automobile manufacturing business. By 1905 he was representing the Buick factory on the Pacific Coast, as well as handling the Auburn and Reo cars. He became a business associate ofWilliam C. Durant, and organized the Chevrolet Motor Company ofCalifornia for him. DeVaux and Cliff Durant, William's son, built the first automobile assembly plant in Oakland for Chevrolet, serving as president ofthe company until 1921.

That same year DeVaux and Durant left Chevrolet to fonn the Durant Motor Company of California, producing Durant and Star automobiles. By 1928, the Oakland plant was producing 3,500 cars a month and employed 1,000 workers.

In 1930 DeVaux, in collaboration with Colonel Elbert J. Hall, fonned a company to build an economy car and began manufacturing the DeVaux automobile in Michigan. The car was shown in automobile shows in New York and in early 1931, but the following 11 '.

January the partners were forced to declare bankruptcy, victims ofthe Depression that was sweeping the country. The Durant Motor Company also failed during the Depression, and although DeVaux remained in the industry during the 1930s, he never achieved any financial successes (Koval 1991 :4-5).

Arthur K. Bourne. In 1931 the Round Hill Pines property was purchased from the Kellum estate by Arthur K. Bourne, a native ofNew York and one ofthe heirs to the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Included in the sale were the water rights and two boats, the Elan and the Myrno IlL renamedthe Reverie, eventually gifting her to the Lake Tahoe Coast Guard Auxiliary in 1956 (Scott 1957:437) .. The Bourne family, including William; his wife Alberta; sons Arthur K., Jr., John Gilbert, Stephen Howard, Douglas, and daughter Mrs. Victor Phillips, resided on the property during the summer months. A caretaker resided on the property full-time with his family.

By 1931 the buildings on the site included the lodge, boathouse, pier, caretaker's house, menservants' quarters, maids' quarters, old gas house, old garage, ice house, laundry, and gate house. That same year a new highway was constructed passing the property, the original rQad moved, and a new gate house constructed. The following year the men's and maid's quarters were constructed, as well as a new dining room and kitchen for the servants. In 1935 a new powerhouse and tool shed were completed (Koval 1991 :8).

The Bourne family'S primary residence was in Glendora, on a citrus ranch named Albourne Rancho, located near Pasadena. During his tenure on the land, Bourne purchased additional acreage at Lake Tahoe, eventually owning 800 acres in the basin. In 1943 he purchased a house in Reno, and in 1951 built a house one mile to the north and converted the summer place into a commercial resort (Koval 1991 :5-6).

The Round Hill Pines Resort opened for the summer season in 1951, with Mrs. Pearl Stewart as hostess. Amenities at the resort included a beach terrace, heated pool, professional tennis court, badminton, tether ball, volleyball, fishing in Bourne Lake (east ofthe site), a driving range (in the meadow north ofthe site), a private beach and dock, and a boat slip rental. Motel units were constructed in 1956. By the summer of 1963, when the resort was operated by Stephen Bourne, the resort had increased to 30 units, including housekeeping cottages, and operated from June 15 to September 15 (Koval 1991:6).

The resort continued in operation until 1969, when sewer improvements forced its closure. A development, proposed for the property in 1964, was denied by the Douglas Comity Planning Commission. The Round Hill residential development commenced the following year. In 1984 the property was purchased by the USDA National Forest Service for $8,950,000. Since that time, only the beach area ofthe resort has been used, leased to a concessionaire for day use (Koval 1991 :7).

h. Designers, Engineers, and Builders Although it is unknown who designed or constructed the buildings at Round Hill Pines, they are characteristic ofSierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe vernacular architectural styles. Designed primarily by unknown builders and constructed with local materials, the buildings exhibit 12 stylistic elements ofVernacular (i.e., expressing what the style feels like, rather than what it is supposed to be) Bungalow/Craftsman, Log Cabin~ and Resort Rustic. While based upon architectural movements popular in eastern and western architectural circles, and quickly adopted in the resort areas ofthe California Sierra Nevada, the architectural heritage ofthe area lagged behind the advent ofthose styles by many years and often by decades, thus evoking the feeling ofan earlier day.

Vernacular also suggests something designed by a craftsman or owner, rather than a professional architect, and usually built with local materials. As defined in National Register Bulletin 31, vernacular architecture:

...can be idiosyncratic amalgams ofbuilding traditions and styles, strongly reflecting the personality ofthe builder, or they may represent the more potent cultural dynamic oftime and place. A key feature ofvemacular buildings is their affinity for and adaptation to landscape, climate, and cultural patterns. Architectural "style" is insignificant in comparison to the form ofthe building, its construction materials, and the layout ofthe rooms [Wyatt 1987:4, in USDA 2001:56].

Many summer home cabins and lodges were designed and built by their owners and reflect a variety ofconstruction techniques, designs, and materials. Some were well-built, while others were assembled quickly and expected only to be occupied during the summer seasons. Lumber or logs were usually purchased locally, and architectural elements (i.e. windows, doors, hardware) were often recycled from other structures.

In her definitive work on the architectural styles ofthe Nevada side ofthe Lake Tahoe Basin, Ana Koval noted the presence ofseveral styles: Log Buildings (1860-present); Resort Rustic (1900-1940); Romantic Movement, with its subtypes Greek Revival (1860-1880) and Italianate (1875-1900); the Eclectic Movement (1910-1940) with subtypes Period Revival, English Cottage Revival, English Country, and Tudor Revival; and the Bungalow/Craftsman style (1905-1930) (Koval 1989:50-54).

As the Round Hill Resort was not developed until the 1920s-1930s, the styles were limited to those that gained in popularity after that time. These inclttde Log and Resort Rustic buildings from the 1910s through the 1940s, and CraftsmanlBungalows from the 1910s and 1920s.

The following paragraphs are adapted from Koval (1989) and McAlester & McAlester (1984) and describe some ofthe distinctive characteristics of Round Hill Pines architecture.

Log Buildings were popular in America from the initial settlement through the period when availability oflocally sawn lumber made balloon frame construction easier and more popular. In the Tahoe Basin, however, and in other areas ofthe Sierra Nevada, log-type construction was popular for cabins and second homes from the late 19th century through the present.

Attributed to Swedish and Finnish colonists in the , the use oflog construction

13 '.

soon became the dominant building fonn in the timbered regions ofthe nation. The use of readily available soft woods - pine and fir - developed because the straight logs had smooth trunks that were easily cut, shaped, and carried. Logs were often left round, but were also hewn and stripped ofbark. Distinctive corner-notching styles were used by different ethnic groups. Chinking materials included mud, clay, wood, straw, shingles, wood chips, and stones. With its heavily forested areas oflarge stands ofpine and fir, the Tahoe Basin provided the materials for log buildings, their size limited only by the length ofavailable logs and the weight carried.

Log structures were simple in plan and built initially upon a one-room unit, typically with two rooms up and two down, or four up and four down.

Two major types ofhorizontally laid log construction were used. A framework ofroughly squared and notched logs was constructed and sometimes clad with shingles or clapboards. The Finns were famous for the precision ofthis method ofconstruction; their log buildings were not clad and didn't need chinking. The second method ofconstruction was round logs joined at the comers with overlapping saddle notches and chinked with clay or other materials to keep out the weather. Both types oflog construction can be found in the Tahoe Basin. The rough, round logs were jointed with a variety of fitted joints - saddle, square, V, half- and full-dovetail- and chinked with a variety ofcaulking mixes (Koval 1989:50-51).

During the 1920s and 1930s, pre-manufactured half-log siding was used in many recreation residences to continue the log tradition without the work required in felling and peeling real logs. During this period rustic V-groove (or V -rustic) in pine or fir was used for trim and the upper gable walls on log buildings. Logs were also commonly used for porches, railings, and decorative framework for retaining walls and'trellises (USDA Forest Service 2001:63).

In recent years many.residences in the Tahoe Basin have been constructed with large logs, often purchased in kits from Canadian or northwestern companies and assembled on site. These homes bear little resemblance to their predecessors, having several stories, multiple rooms, and elaborate architecture.

Resort Rustic Buildings were constructed in the Tahoe Basin from the early 1900s through the 1940s. Deriveq from the Adirondack Rustic Style (1870-1930), the architecture was first developed in the Adirondack region ofupstate New York, where William West Durant, president ofthe Adirondack Railroad, developed the area for the well-to-do. Durant's architectural style used glorified log construction for rustic camps for America's upper class.

The building complexes designed and built in this style were set on a lake or river against a background offorest and mountains. They were built ofreadily available natural materials in a local craft tradition. They are characterized by the use oflogs and indigenous stone, shingled roofs with broad overhangs and porches, and simply proportioned window and door openings. All ofthe features described above are also characteristic ofthe Resort Rustic style ofarchitecture found at Lake Tahoe; however, for the most part, the buildings constructed at Lake Tahoe were not built in the same grand scale as the great lodges in the Adirondacks.

14 Rustic in the sense ofblending with its rural setting was a concept used by a large group of people building lodges and second homes in resort-type areas. Many ofthe historic resources remaining at Tahoe are in this style.

The Resort Rustic style is characterized by rough stone foundations and large, stone chimneys and moderate to steeply pitched gabled and hipped roofs - often covered with wooden shingles or shakes and pierced with dormer windows. Asymmetrical composition, unpeeled logs or half-round logs applied as siding or board-and-batten siding or shingled siding left unpainted or bark siding, and numerous small windows with many panes and simple undecorated frames are elements ofthis style [Koval 1989:51-52].

The style has also been called Rustic Vernacular and has been defined:

Successfully handled, [rustic] is a style which, through the use ofnative materials in proper scale, and through the_avoidance ofrigid, straight lines, and over-sophistication, gives the feeling ofhaving been executed by pioneer craftsmen with limited hand tools. It thus achieves sympathy with natural surroundings and with the past [Tweed et al. 1977:93, in USDA Forest Service 2001:56].

Bungalow/Craftsman residences were the most dominant style for smaller homes built throughout America from about 1905 until the early 1920s, and much later in rural areas. The Craftsman style originated in , inspired by the work ofbrothers Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene, who practiced in Pasadena from 1893-1914. The English Arts and Crafts movement, an interest in oriental wooden architecture, and their training in the manual arts apparently influenced the Greenes' designs. Popularized in design and ladies' magazines ofthe period, the nation became-familiar with the style and it rapidly spread across the country. Pattern books appeared, with plans and even pre-cut packages oflumber and detailing to be assembled locally. The simple on~story Craftsman house quickly became the most popular style in the country and was readily adapted for bungalows in the Lake Tahoe Basin (McAlester & McAlester 1984:454).

The typical Craftsman Bungalow is one or one-and-one-half stories with a low-pitched, overhanging, gabled or hipped roof with exposed rafter ends. The front porch either projects from the building with a gable roof of its own, or is recessed into the mass ofthe building. Porch posts are tapered or "elephantine," usually on piers. Chimneys are typically ofcobblestone or brick. Exterior end chimneys are usually flanked by small rectangular windows. Windows are sash or casement, in a variety ofsizes and shapes. Often, the top ofthe window forms a segmental arch. The front facade window is commonly in a three-part composition with a large center window. Frequently, its upper sash contains multiple lights while its lower contains but one. The exterior may be wooden shingles, stone, stucco, concrete block, or brick [Koval 1989:55].

In the Tahoe Basin the moderately pitched roof was routinely steeply pitched, in response to the heavy snow loads ofthe region. Other variations from the traditional style included the use ofmetal roofing and much smaller porches, also in response to the snow loads and the danger offire in a wooded area.

15 The Round Mountain Lodge, built in 1922, was constructed oflogs on a mortared stone foundation. A concrete terrace, facing Lake Tahoe, was also supported by a mortared stone retaining wall.

The remainder ofthe buildings at Round Hill Pines, built in the 1920s and 1930s, were of balloon frame construction, with gabled shingle roofs, several supported with knee braces. Walls were clad in wood shingles or manufactured log siding. Doors are frame, with five horizontal panels or one light and three panels .. Fenestration consists primarily of 111 light frame sash, double-hung, although some are single light. Foundations are post on concrete pier or rock, with perimeter mudsills. Skirting beneath the buildings consists oflattice work.

Most interior walls and ceilings are oftongue and groove, while the floors are wider tongue and groove Douglas fir. Kitchen floors and bathrooms have been covered with linoleum.

c. Notable People The only notable people identified with the property were Norman de Vaux and Arthur K. Bourne. Their biographical information has been included in the Historic Overview, above.

SURVEY RESULTS

A visual inspection ofthe remnants ofthe Round Hill Pines Resort (Figure 3) resulted in the inventory and recordation of24 buildings constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, including utility buildings. In addition, three 1956 motel units, a stone gate and walls, and a brick oven were identified. One copy ofthe survey report and photographs have been archived with the USDA Forest Service, LTBMU; and another filed with the Nevada SHPO.

For the purposes ofclarity, the buildings have been numbered according to the 1941 Applegate Insurance Map (Figure 3); missing numbers in the sequence refer to structures that are no longer extant. The surveyed buildings included:

No. Name CQnstructioniSiding Date Condition 1. Lodge Log Structure 1922 Fair condition 2. Office Frame, manufactured log 1920s Ruins 3. Guest House Frame, shingled 1920s Poor condition 4. Dining/Kitchen Frame, shingled 1932 Poor condition 7. Diet Kitchen Frame, shingled 1932 Poor condition 8. Toy House Frame, corrugated metal 1930s Poor condition 9. New Guest House Frame,manumctured10g 1920s Fair condition 10. Duplex Guest House Frame,manumctured10g 1920s Fair condition 12. Cold Fruit Storage Frame, corrugated metal 1930s Fair condition 13. Caretaker's House Frame, shingled 1920s Poor condition 14. Garage & Laundry Frame, shingled 1920s Poor condition 15. PowerHouse Frame, corrugated metal 1935 Fair condition 17. Trailer Garage Frame, corrugated metal 1930s Fair condition 21. Chicken House Frame, board and bat 1930s Ruins 22. Garage Frame, corrugated metal 1930s Fair condition 23. Boiler House Frame, corrugated metal 1935 Fair condition

16 25. Gardener's House Frame, shingled 1920s Poor condition 26. Employee's Cottage Frame, shingled 1932 Ruins 27. Employee's Cottage Frame, shingled 1932 Poor condition 28. Employee's Cottage Frame, shingled 1932 Poor condition 29. Employee's Cottage Frame, shingled 1920s Poor condition 30. Gate House Frame, shingled 1920s Poor condition 31. Garage Frame, shingled 1920s Poor condition XX. Gates/walls Granite/concrete 1932 Good condition XX Root Cellar Frame, subterranean 1930s Ruins XX. Oven Brick and firebrick 1930s Ruins XX Motel Unit Frame, board ' 1956 Poor condition XX Motel Unit Frame, board 1956 Poor condition XX Motel Unit Frame, board 1956 Poor condition

17 Figure 3. Map ofBuildings in Round Hill Pines Resort, Applegate 1941. RECOMMENDATIONS

a. Survey and Research Needs All the historic buildings within the Round Hill Pines Resort have been recorded and photographed.

b. National Register Listing and Determination of Eligibility The Round Hill Pines Resort Complex was previously determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register ofHistoric Places under Criteria A and C (Alice Baldrica Letter, August 31, 1999; Appendix D).

c. ·Threats to Resources Most ofthe resources are in poor or damaged conditions due to the vicissitudes oftime and weather, as well as vandalism. Some have been burned, while others have collapsed. Most ofthe shingled roofs on the buildings are so deteriorated that they provide no protection from the elements. Three ofthe remaining structures (office building, employee's cottage, and chicken house) are in ruins and pose a threat to the public.

EVALUATIONS

. Significance Criteria National Register of Historic Places. The objective ofthis investigation is to evaluate the continued eligibility ofthe resources for inclusion in the National Register ofHistoric Places (NRHP), and the Nevada Register ofHistoric Places, the standards for which are consistent with those developed by the National Park Service for listing properties on the NRHP. The evaluation allows the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to meet obligations of Section 106 ofthe National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 USC 470), and procedures ofthe Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (36 CFR 800). Following the Secretary of the Interior's'Standards and Guidelines for evaluation, the resources were considered relative to the following NRHP eligibility criteria detailed in Title 36 CFR part 60.4:

The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity oflocation, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and:

18 A. that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns ofour history; or

B. that are associated with the lives ofpersons significant in our past; or

c. that embody the distinctive characteristics ofa type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work ofa master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or

D. that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Conclusions The Round Hill Pines Resort, constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, although in a deterior~ted condition, was previously detennined eligible for listing in the National Register ofHistoric Places under criteria A and C by the architectural staff ofthe Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (Alice Baldrica Letter, August 31, 1999; Appendix D). This report concurs with that determination. The three motel units, constructed in 1956, do not appear to be eligible under any ofthe applicable criteria.

• A) For its role in the history of 1920s-1950s tourism at Lake Tahoe.

• C) As an important example ofthe Resort Rustic style ofarchitecture, popular in the Lake Tahoe Basin between 1900 and 1940. Situated in its original location on the north side of Round Mound above Marla Bay, the buildings feature the distinctive characteristics of their type, period, and method ofconstruction. They are "built ofreadily available natural materials in a local craft tradition, characterized by the use oflogs and indigenous stone, shingled roofs with broad overhangs and porches, and simply proportioned window and door openings" (Koval 1990:20).

MITIGATION

Prior to demolition ofany structures, the LTBMU shall ensure that the following measures are carried out: a. Documentation Prior to the demolition ofany structures, the L TBMU shall contact the National Park Service,Denver Regional Office, to detennine what level and type ofrecordation is required for these properties. Unless otherwise agreed to by the National Park Service and the Nevada SHPO, the LTBMU shall ensure that all documentation will be completed within six months, and accepted by the Nevada SHPO, and the copies ofthe documentation are made available to the Nevada SHPO and any appropriate archives designated by the Nevada SHPO. The documentation will follow the Nevada SHPO guidelines entitled Documentation Standardsfor Historical Resources ofLocal and State Significance.

19 b. Salvage ofArchitectural Elements: The LTBMU will remove selected architectural elements from the buildings prior to demolition to be reused in maintenance, repair, and other similar projects within Camp Richardson, Tallac Historic District, and other historic properties within the LTBMU. The LTBMU shall ensure that the items selected are removed in a manner that minimizes damage and stored at a location which is protected from weather, theft, and vandalism until the selected items are used .

.c. Historic Context and Popular History The LTBMU will develop an appropriate historic context for the resort relative to early resort facilities within the Lake Tahoe Basin. A popular publication will be produced for public distribution that recounts the history ofthe Round Hill Pines Resort. j d. Rehabilitation and Preservation o(Representative Resources Following the Secretary ofthe Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation & Guidelinesfor Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (y./eeks and Grimmer 1995), the LTBMU will restore three buildings within the Round Hill Pines Resort: Lodge (No. 1.), New Guest House (No.2), and Duplex Guest House (No.3) for an appropriate use by the Forest Service, lessee, or the public.

20 L

REFERENCES CITED OR CONSULTED

Applegate, Edwin V. 1945 Round Hill, Residence ofArthur K. Bourne, Douglas County Nevada. Insurance Map. Scale 1"=50'. Edwin V. Applegate Insurance, . California.

Codega & Fricke, Inc. 1992 Round Hill Feasibility Study. Prepared for State ofNevada Division ofState Parks by Codega & Fricke, Inc.

Hoover, Mildred Brooke, Hero Eugene Rensch, Ethel Grace Rensch, and William N. Abe10e 1966 Historic Spots in California. Third Edition. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.

James, George Wharton 1915 The Lake ofthe Sky. Reprinted in 1992 by Nevada Publications, , Nevada.

Koval, Ana B. 1990 Historic Resources ofthe Nevada Side ofthe Tahoe Basin. Prepared for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency by Alpengroup and Rainshadow Associates, Reno, Nevada.

1991 Round Hill Resort, National Register ofHistoric Places Draft Report. On file, USDA Forest Service, South Lake Tahoe, California.

Lekisch, Barbara 1988 Tahoe Place Names, the Origin and History ofNames in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Great West Books, Lafayette.

Lindstrom, Susan 1993 A Cultural Resource Inventory ofthe GriffCreek Stream Reservoir and Stilling Basin Restoration Project, 7.5 Acres near Kings Beach, California, Placer County. Prepared for North Tahoe Public Utility District, Tahoe Vista, California, by Susan Lindstrom, Truckee, California.

Marvin, Judith 2000 Historic Resource Inventory and Historic Building Documentation ofthe Bliss Boathouse, 1951 Glenbrook Road, Glenbrook, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Assessor's Parcel Numbers 01-151-01,01-070-16,01-070-17, TRPA File Number 921294. Prepared for Agan Consulting Corporation, Incline Village, Nevada, by Foothill Resources, Ltd., Murphys, California.

Nevada, State of, Division ofHistoric Preservation and Archaeology 2000 Nevada State Historic Preservation Office Historic Resources Inventory Fonn. On 21 "

file, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, Carson City, Nevada.

n.d. Documentation Standards for Historical Resources ofLocal and State Significance. On file, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, Carson City, Nevada.

n.d State Historic Preservation Office Instructions for Conducting Intensive Level Surveys. On file, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, Carson City, Nevada.

Pacific Southwest Region, USDA Forest Service 2001 Strategy for Inventory and Historic Evaluation ofRecreation Residence Tracts in the National Forests of California from 1906 to 1959. Heritage Program, USDA Forest Service, Vallejo, California.

Scott, Edward B. 1957 The Saga ofLake Tahoe, Vol. I: A Complete Documentation ofLake Tahoe's Development Over the Last One Hundred Years.. Sierra-Tahoe Publishing Company, Crystal Bay, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

1973 The Saga ofLake Tahoe, Vol. II: A Definitive Pictorial Documentation ofLake Tahoe's Development Over the Last One Hundred and Twenty-five Years .. Sierra-Tahoe Publishing Company, Crystal Bay, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Storer, Tracy I., and Robert L. Usinger 1963 Sierra Nevada Natural History. University ofCalifornia Press, Berkeley.

USDA Forest Service 1926 Eldorado National Forest (map).

United States Geological Survey 1893 Markleeville Quadrangle, reprinted 1948.

1914 El Dorado Quadrangle. .

1956 Quadrangle.

1992 South Lake Tahoe, CA-NV Quadrangle. 7.5 minute series.

Von Leicht, and J. D. Hoffinan 1874 Topographic Map ofLake Tahoe and Surrounding Area.

Warriner, John, and Ricky Warriner 1958 Lake Tahoe, An Illustrated Guide and History. Fearon Publishers, San Francisco.

Weeks, Kay D., and Anne E. Grimmer 1995 The Secretary ofthe Interior's Standards for the Treatment ofHistoric Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstrocting Historic 22 Buildings. U.S. Department ofthe Interior, National Park Service, Cultural Resource Stewardship and Partnerships, Heritage Preservation Services, Washington, D.C.

Zauner, Phyllis 1982 Lake Tahoe. Zanel Publications, Tahpe Paradise, California.

23 APPENDIX A mSTORICAL RESOURCES INVENTORY FORMS \

APPENDIXB

PHOTOGRAPHS HISTORIC BUILDING DOCUMENTATION

INDEX TO PHOTOGRAPHS Round Hill Pines Resort Douglas County, Nevada

Jack Fulton, photographer February 27 and 28, 2002

Number Facing Description l. east overview, collapsed boathouse, from water 2. northeast lumber piles ofboathouse 3. south detail, board and batten siding 4. south detail, posts and lumber 5. north detail, siding, gable roof 6. north detail, bait boxes 7. west detail, beam, car track in water 8. north overview, collapsed boathouse on shore APPENDIXC

ROUND HILL RESORT TIME LINE I '

ROUND HILL RESORT TIME LINE .(Koval 1991:9)

1864 John Marley purchased 160-acre property

1870 Augustus Pray purchased property for back taxes

1884 William McFaul purchased property

1890s William McFaul sold "Round Mound" to Heinrich Dangberg

1911 William McFaul aCquired the property from Dangberg Land & Livestock Company

1913 William McFaul's family sold the property to Louis I. Cowgill

1916 Property passed to Glen Cowgill

1919 Property purchased by Norman DeVaux

ca. 1922 Lodge building and first associated buildings constructed

1929 Property purchased by Elizabeth Strom Lauder Kellum

1931 Arthur K. Bourne purchased property from the Kellum estate The following buildings were extant: lodge, laundry, men servants' quarters, maids' quarters, old gas house, old garage, boat house (demolished), caretaker's house, ice house, pier, and gate house.

1932 Mens' and maids' quarters constructed, also new dining room and kitchen for servants, and new gate and stone wall at entrance

1935 New powerhouse and tool shed built

1951 Round Hill Pines Resort opened, Bournes built a new summer home to north

1956 Motel units constructed

1964 Casino development proposed, Norman DeVaux dies

1965 Round Hill residential development began

1967 Arthur Bourne's death

1973 Sewer hook up at Lake Tahoe

1983 USDA Forest Service purchase