by: Elizabeth Sedway, TahoeKidsGuide.com
Built in 1903, by Isaias Hellman, in a grove of pine and cedar trees on the shore of Lake Tahoe, the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion was later the summer home for Hellman's daughter, Florence Hellman Ehrman, her husband Stanley and their many guests. The mansion now sits within the Sugar Pine Point State Park on the south east shore of Lake Tahoe.
Operating Hours: Call for park hours 530-525-7982
Hellman-Ehrman Mansion
Tours Daily Memorial Day weekend through September 30th
Daily tours from 10:00am to 3:00 pm, mid June through Labor Day.
Reduced tour schedule in early June and in September.
Call 530-525-7232 for tour times.
Tour tickets are $8 for adults, $5 children 6-17 years. Children under 6 are free.
There are numerous
campsites adjacent to the mansion at Sugar Pine Point State Park. This state park contains one of the finest remaining natural areas at Lake Tahoe. With nearly two miles of lake frontage, the park has dense forests of pine, fir, aspen and juniper.
Facilities and activities offered at Sugar Pine Point in the
Summer include: hiking, swmming, playing on the beach, visiting the nature center and fishing (mid July to September).
To reserve a campsite at Sugar Pine Point State Park, call Reserve America at: (800) 444-7285.
The history of the Sugar Pine Point area offers a glimpse of the life of the
Washoe Indians. Lake Tahoe lay at the heart of the Washoe Indian territory, prior to 1860 the area was the summer home for generations of Washoe Indians, who came to these peaceful shores to hunt and fish. Evidence of their lifestyle can still be seen today in the form of bedrock mortars or grinding rocks just offshore from the mansion.
In 1860, the first permanent settler of record on Lake Tahoe's west shore built a cabin at the mouth of General Creek. This was the trapper and fisherman
William "General" Phipps, and his cabin can still be seen today just north of the Ed Z'berg - Sugar Pine Point State Park pier. In 1884, a resort called Bellevue Hotel was constructed just north of what is now the South Boathouse, and remained a popular summer destination for Lake Tahoe visitors for nine years.
The beautiful grounds of the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion are available for special events such as weddings, school or family reunions, and corporate dinners. The grounds have spectacular views of Lake Tahoe with the 12,000 square foot mansion serving as an elegant backdrop. Call or email Special Events Office for more information: 530-525-5060.
