Brockway Hot Springs, perched on Tahoe’s North Shore near Kings Beach, has seen success, turmoil, development, and fire over its 147 years as a tourist destination. This natural wonder, caused by fault lines that generate geothermal bubbling, are the only hot springs on Lake Tahoe. Between 1869 and 1970 approximately eight different owners have attempted — some with success, others not — to develop the picturesque location. The one constant that seemed to define the property and its owners was the ability to innovate.
By 1869, William Campbell and George Schaeffer had constructed a rough road and claimed the title to 63 acres surrounding the hot springs that had previously been used to harvest wild hay. According to E.B. Scott in The Saga of Lake Tahoe, they built cottages and a modest hotel, prepping for visitors. But the issue was getting people there. If tourists today think a three-hour drive from the Bay Area with screaming children is bad, try a longer trek in a horse-drawn buggy, then a train ride winding along the Truckee River from Truckee to Tahoe City, followed by a boat ride across the lake until a final de-boarding at the hot springs. The owners had to be inventive to make the property alluring enough for visitors to endure the slog.
A soak in the natural hot springs was said to cure ailments like rheumatism and arthritis. Add to that a tremendous view of the Jewel of the Sierra and you’ve got a hit. But it wasn’t today’s Disneyland. In 1875, a woman walking from the steam area to the shower fell through a board covering the main mineral spring, which is hot — really hot — around 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Before being submerged in eight feet of scorching hot water, the woman was able to catch herself on the rim of the spring. The owners at the time had a hell of a time reassuring guests that this would not be a common occurrence.
After a few more management switches and a bumpy road for the property, it was bought by Frank Brockway Alverson in 1900 and officially dubbed the Brockway Hot Springs. Alverson had a knack for salesmanship, and he marketed the place with tons of extras including complimentary swimsuits to visitors, according to The Saga of Lake Tahoe. One amenity that was before its time was the system that pumped heated spring water into all the guest rooms for warmth — a remarkably eco-friendly concept well before “green” was fashionable.
Don Cuicci, the unofficial historian of Brockway who has been visiting the resort every year since the 1950s, told Moonshine Ink that although the hot springs attracted visitors, it was the food that kept them there during the Alverson tenure. Alverson and his wife, Nellie Staples Dow Comstock Alverson (phew!), had a large vegetable garden on the property and would cook exquisite meals for the guests with homegrown veggies paired with locally bought beef and venison, and fresh-caught trout. The dining room at Brockway was an early shining example of Tahoe farm-to-table.
The Alversons wanted to make Brockway the go-to destination for visitors, and sought to pull business away from Tahoe City. They created a timeshare program to attract families to return each year, a program that has had staying power for the resort. Even with all that the Alversons did to resurrect the resort financially, they were forced into bankruptcy, and the property was bought by Melville Lawrence and Harry Oswald Comstock in 1909. The resort thrived in the 1920s with the creation of the Brockway Casino in 1917 and a naturally heated lakeside swimming pool. The Brockway Casino was demolished years later in 1970 to make room for new condominiums. The lakeside pool still runs year-round utilizing heat from the springs although the springs themselves are boarded off and secured for safety reasons. The pool is open for resort guests only.
A place with so much raw natural beauty and human history needs an unofficial historian to tell its detailed chronicle. Don Cuicci could tell you what year the fire burned down the main dining hall, when the original cottages were taken down to make way for new condos, which general manager introduced hay rides as an activity for the resort, and when it was discovered that the Stateline granite marker had been moved too far into California. Cuicci is testament to the staying power of an exceptional piece of property. Plus, you can’t beat that view.
Don Cuicci is a retired deputy fire chief. He resides in Pacifica, Calif., and has been visiting Brockway Hot Springs with his family since the 1980s.
Read about a water feature that draws a controversial crowd each year in Hot Water, Cold Pools here.
