Tahoe mansion sells for $10 million

A piece of Lake Tahoe’s maritime history changed hands on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore for $10 million.

Built in 1936, this home was originally owned by the Scott family of the Hall-Scott Engine Company, located in Berkeley, California. Founded in 1910 by Californians Elbert J. Hall and Bert C. Scott, the Hall-Scott Engine Company was among the most significant builders of water-cooled aircraft engines before World War I. The company also produced axles for Ford’s Model T through the mid-1920s and industrial engines for fire engines, tractors and, of course, boats.

Built by and for one of Tahoe’s original boating families, this home features a rare offering of two double boathouses, a rock-crib pier and private harbor. The Scotts made sure to include a workshop in one of the boathouses for their mechanics, a space recently and elegantly updated to offer entertainment over the water. The stunning but unassuming exterior anchors a wealth of history and exudes the qualities of many generations of a life well lived.

In 1959 the Scott family sold the property and the three adjacent lakefront lots to a Stanford University graduate. When the new owner invited his three fraternity brothers to join him on the Lake, each one wanted a parcel. But how were they to determine who would purchase which property? Solution: a friendly game of poker played by their wives, with the winner earning first pick.

As all good stories go, the winning player had, in fact, never played poker prior to this game. To this day, all three remain in each family’s ownership.

With six bedrooms, six and a half baths, this Old-Tahoe classic features more than 160 feet of lake frontage on 1.7 acres of landscaped grounds, the SunnyShack (a beachside bar), two double boathouses and a private harbor. Located between Sunnyside and Tahoe City, the home was represented by Craig Miller and Katherina Haug of Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty.