Garwood Dean: Dean built the original Sierra house in 1859 and later built Lake House, Lake Tahoe's first lake front hotel. Although Lake House was a modest eight-room hostelry, it was not uncommon to pack in 100 to 300 guests per night. Dean is credited with renaming the lake "Tahoe" (which reportedly means "Big Water" in Washoe). Prior 1860 the lake was known as Bigler Lake after John Bigler, a famous governor of California. Bigler became a Confederate sympathizer, and Dean supported the Union. Dean and his associates decided that the waters of the lake were too poor to bear the name Bigler.

George Whittle: A multimillionaire San Francisco and Burlingame real estate magnate, his 1938 land purchases included approximately one-sixteenth of the Lake Tahoe basin. The parcel ran from Sand Harbor to Zephyr Cove along the eastern shoreline. His home, the legendary, "Thunderbird Lodge" was reminiscent of a medieval French castle. The eccentric was known for wild parties, gambling , and the wild animals (lions, tigers, elephants, and a giraffe) which roamed his grounds. He owned the 56-foot long mahogany planked "Thunderbird" which was propelled by 4 engines producing 1600HP The boat was kept in a 100-foot boathouse carved out of solid rock accessed by a tunnel from the main house. In 1967 the State of Nevada condemned 5,300 acres of his property for a state park . Upon his death he left half of his fortune to animal welfare societies. The estate recently sold to the state of Nevada for $58 Million dollars making it the most expensive residential real estate sale in the country.

Carrie Pryor: Pryor, also known as "Spring Chicken", was Truckee's most infamous "Lady of the night". She was involved with or cause of many gunfights, stabbings, brawls, and civil disturbances during the 1870s . Her open defiance to law enforcement and Truckee's vigilante group, the "601", is early testimony to the unique spirit of individualism which some say still lingers in Truckee.

Dave Dysart: Arriving here in 1880, Dysart was one of the pioneers of the Sierras. He worked in the ice industry and was known as the, "Ice King of the Sierras". He was one of the founders of the National Ice Company which later became the Union Ice Company. He worked as superintendent of ice harvesting at both Polaris and Iceland. He was liked and respected by the men who worked for him.

G.W. Griffen: One of the earliest pioneer citizens of Truckee. George Washington Giffen was born in Illinois in 1831. A veteran of the Mexican war, he came to Truckee when it first became a town and represented Nevada County as a Legislator for three seasons.

D. B .Frink: Was the founding publisher and editor of the Truckee Republican. Frink was accidentally shot and killed by one of his fellow vigilantes, the Ò601Ó, during the raid of a saloon on Jibboom Street in 1874.

Willian Hurd: Hurd came to Truckee after working in the Mining area at Rough & Ready, an old mining town off of Highway 49 that still exists. He opened the Capitol Saloon and restaurant in 1868. After a fire destroyed the wood building, he replaced it with a two-story brick structure in 1870 known today as the Capitol Building. It's the oldest building in Truckee. The Capitol Saloon was the site of the famous gunfight between Truckee Constables,Jacob Teeter and James Reed.

John F. Moody: Was the builder and operator of the original Truckee Hotel which stood on the railroad tracks near today's Truckee Diner. The hotel served as the passenger depot and was visited by several U.S. Presidents including Ulysses Grant and Rutherford Hayes.

Joseph Gray: Truckee's first pioneer resident, Gray built a log cabin in 1863 on today's Bridge and Jibboom Streets. The cabin was eventually moved to Church Street where it still stands today. Gray became partners with George Shaffer in TruckeeÕs first lumber mill. At one time he owned most of the land which is now Truckee and known at the time as one of the wealthiest men of the Sierra.

Paul M. Doyle: Paul M. Doyle was born in San Francisco and moved to Truckee in 1890 as a clerk in the J.L. Lewiston Mercantile Store. In 1900 he bought the store and changed the name to P.M. DoyleÕs Mercantile Store. In 1907 he purchased the Post Office Store and acquired the Truckee Electric Light and Power Company. Doyle was a prominent and influential businessman in Truckee for many years. In 1912 he was involved in a gunfight rich resulted in the death of W.M. Smith who was the editor of the Truckee Republican. Doyle was defended by Truckee attorney C.F. McGlashan in a highly publicized trial and acquitted of the crime in which many thought him guilty. Doyle later left town and settled in Dixon, California.

Tom Dolley: Of all Truckee's law men, Tom Dolley was the most unique and wore many hats over the years. A giant of a man, standing 6'8" tall, he commanded respect where ever he went. He served as the deputy sheriff, constable, chief of the volunteer fire department, state and town fire marshal, local railway express agent, town undertaker, part owner of Truckee Mercantile and was very active in civic affairs. During the 1930s and the1940s, he apprehended and arrested many fugitives who committed crimes in other states who had attempted to flee into California through Donner Pass. He served 28 years as constable and saw Truckee change from a rough and ready frontier town to a peaceful village.

Joseph Marzen: The pioneer citizen and butcher on Front Street. He served as deputy sheriff. The Marzen family donated the land where the Donner monument and state park are located.

Pete "Poker Pete" Alverson: He came to Truckee from Iowa in 1870 and resided in the town for 63 years. He earned the title of "Poker Pete" because of his skill at cards and recognized as the best poker player in the area for many years. He operated several gambling establishments in old Truckee. Alvertson was an intimate friend and companion of Bill Cody, better known as "Buffalo Bill" and rode the Wyoming and neighboring ranges with him. He fought with Custer in his historic Indian battles and delighted many with his stories of narrow escapes from death. He died in 1933 and was buried beside his friend and fellow trailblazer, Bob Watson.

E. J. Brickel: E. J was a lumberman and a partner of W.H. Krugers in the Truckee Lumber Co.

Bob Watson: Watson was a legendary High Sierra trailblazer, mountaineer, conservationist, lawman and High Sierra guide. Mount Watson and Watson Lake are named after him. He was described by Jaoquin Miller's poetry as "One of Natures Nobleman". He and Robert Harkness bolstered TahoeÕs historical tangibles when they located the Fremont CannonÕs gun carriage wheels that reportedly carried the twelve- pounder across the plains in 1843 from the St. Louis arsenals. He died in 1932 at the age of 77.

Lloyd Tevis: A mining and steamship mogul, as well as the president of Wells Fargo, he built a lakeside estate which looked like a small village. His fortune was later wiped out in real estate speculation and he lost his estate.

Yank Clement: Clement was a New Hampshire mountain man turned innkeeper and proprietor of Yank's Station that he bought in 1859. Yank's Hotel was "splendiferous" according to Yank. He had a spring mounted dance floor that made guests dance, whether they knew how or not. He was a gregarious and colorful teller of tall tales thus earning his nickname, "Champion Lore of the Sierry".

Elle Ellen: Elle was born in East Friedland, Germany in 1823, took to the cabinet trade and migrated to the U.S. in 1845. In 1868 he came to the new town of Coburn's Station (soon to be renamed Truckee) as proprietor of a saw mill. He is said to have put in the first flume in the area and created the first planer and shingle mill in Truckee. His first mill was located on the outskirts of Truckee on Trout Creek. This mill burned in 1871 and he constructed a new mill three miles up Trout Creek Canyon near today's Tahoe Donner subdivision. This mill was one of the largest in the area. At one time Ellen held patents and a license to harvest timber on 3,200 acres of timberland immediately around his mill and ten full sections of forestalled. He constructed a V-flume from his new mill down Trout Creek Canyon to the railroad in Truckee. In 1878 this mill produced 700,000 board feet of lumber.

Bob Sherman: A wealthy San Franciscan, Sherman bought a large parcel of North Shore in 1926. He then subdivided calling it Cal-Neva Park. He built the Cal-Neva Lodge initially as a guesthouse for prospective real estate purchasers. Cal-Neva had a rustic high mountain country look. Located on the California Nevada state line, it had a three inch wide "State Line" bisecting the great dance hall. The lodge later sold to a couple of underworld characters and became a stylish speakeasy. The lodge was an occasional hideaway for "Baby Face" Nelson and "Pretty Boy" Floyd.

Dixk "Captain Dick" Barter: An Englishman, Barter was also known as "The hermit of Emerald Bay" residing as the property caretaker for stagecoach magnate Ben Holladay. In 1870 he almost drowned when his boat capsized. In the incident he lost two toes to frostbite and actually amputated them himself. He then preserved them to show to friends and visitors. He built a stone tomb for himself on Coquette Island in Emerald Bay and covered it with a miniature wooden gothic chapel. Unfortunately he drowned in 1873 while returning drunk from Rowland's Station. Ironically his body was never recovered and the tomb went unused. Legend has it that on chilly Autumn evenings, when a gray mist covers the island, his ghost may be seen climbing atop the rocks in hopes of opening the effaced tomb to find his final rest.

Bob "PONY BOB" Haslem: One of the most famous Pony Express riders, he made Friday's Station his home base. He once rode an incredible round trip of 380 miles during an Indian uprising with burning relief stations to complete his dangerous circuit just a few hours behind schedule.

Elias Baldwin: Purchased Yank's Station in 1881 and renamed it Baldwin's Tallac House after towering Mt. Tallac to the southwest. The Tallac became one of the most exclusive resorts in the country. Known as "Lucky Baldwin", he was a flamboyant stock speculator and real estate promoter. He had a fondness for fast horses and fast women. He was adamant about the preservation of TallacÕs first growth trees for future generations to enjoy. Tallac's old growth forest remains preserved.

Laura Knight: A wealthy widow, she commissioned the design and construction of Vikingsholm in Emerald Bay in 1928. Vikingsholm is the finest example of Scandinavian architecture in North America. The design was inspired by SwedenÕs stone castles and Norway's wooden churches and built by craftsman from those lands. She tried to furnish the home with authentic Swedish and Norwegian antiques and furnishings. Many of them were museum pieces and the respective governments would not allow them to leave the country. Therefore, she commissioned exact reproductions of many items. She had a single room tea house erected in stone on Coquette Island in Emerald Bay. Laura Knight was environmentally sensitive and insisted that the home was designed around the existing large trees.

Dr. Joseph Bernard: Born in Portland, Oregon in 1879, he was one of Truckee's most prominent physicians. He battled blizzards and deep snow to reach his patients often knowing that his only payment was the satisfaction of doing his duty. He was the town's only doctor for many years. He was often called out to treat people injured in train wrecks, industrial accidents and for people who were ill during epidemics. Dr. Bernard delivered most of the town children. Hundreds of people owe their life to this man who placed his Hippocratic Oath above his own comfort. He passed away in 1951.

Lars Haugen: Haugen was a Norwegian ski jumper hired by the Tahoe Tavern to build the area's first ski jump. It took two years to complete and was of the highest caliber.

John McKinney: Recognized as an outdoorsman, McKinney was a hunter and fisherman and known for his uncanny skills in the forest. He purchased the "HunterÕs Retreat" renaming it to "McKinneyÕs Landing". Californian John Muir was a frequent guest of McKinneyÕs establishment.

Jacob Teeter: Was TruckeeÕs most famous sheriff and constable. He was known for enforcing the law with a pick handle instead of a gun. Teeter was killed in a violent gunfight with another constable, James Reed, in Hurd's Saloon in 1891.

Stewart McKay: A pioneer Truckee innkeeper and capitalist. Born in Nova Scotia, he came to Truckee in 1873. He owned and operated the Whitney House which later became the Truckee Hotel. He also operated a saw mill at Union Mills and was a pioneer developer in Sparks, Nevada. He developed 80 acres on the west end of Donner Lake creating the first summer camp for visitors and had many other mining and mineral interests in the region. McKay had a reputation of being and avid sportsman and eccentric naturalist. In his later years he disposed of all his business property, sought out a home in the nude and reportedly adopted a seminude attire adopting a diet of baked potatoes, bread and water. He carved a granite tomb for himself overlooking Donner Lake. He died in San Francisco in 1917 and cremated. His ashes were scattered at the Truckee Cemetery, and hence, never buried in his famous tomb.

Snowshoe Thompson: A hardy Norwegian that for 20 years carried mail and supplies between Sacramento and Virginia City. Thompson fashioned "Norwegian Snowshoes" which were 10 feet long oak runners which used in conjunction with a balance pole. He remains the foremost snowshoer in the annals of California-Nevada skiing. Thompson used his runners to rescue the sick and injured and carried food to snowbound families. Using a three-seater horse drawn sleighs, he established the first winter passenger and freight service over Johnson and Luther Passes.

James McGiver: Born in Floristan, he lived in Truckee for most of his life. He worked as a teamster and blacksmith owning the McIver Garage. He served in WWI as a sergeant. Active in community affairs, he served as Chairman of the Truckee Sanitation Board of Directors. The McIver family owned and operated a dairy farm in Truckee. The buildings still stand to this day in the meadow beyond the I-80 overpass at the west end of town.

James Reed: From 1879-1890, this handsome rugged sheriff and constable helped bring law and order to town. He was known for his proficiency in firearms and for his romantic involvement with the ladies of Jibboom St. In 1882 he was attacked by a man with a knife. Reed picked up a rock and threw it the man and killed him. Reed is best remembered for his violent gunfight with Jacob Teeter in 1891 in which Teeter, his fellow lawman was killed. Remorseful over the incident, Reed died a lonely broken man in 1905. (James Reed has often been confused with James Reed of the Donner Party; they are two different men.)

John Keiser:Born in Pennsylvania, he was a pioneer Californian. He served in both the Civil War and Mexican War. He went on to become a 49er with his brothers. He had moved with his family to CobernÕs Station in 1866 and erected a three-story hotel called The Keiser House in Brickeltown. He served as TruckeeÕs judge and was the publisher of the Truckee Republican Newspaper.