History + Museums

Donner Memorial State Park & Visitor Center

The Pioneer Monument statue at the entry to the park honors all who made the difficult trek across the western plains and mountains to reach California during the 1840s. Compelling new exhibits tell the stories of the emigrant experience, the Donner Party, the land of the Washoe, Chinese construction of the railroad, and early motoring adventures over Donner Pass. Tours available in the summer months. parks.ca.gov; 530-582-7892; 12593 Donner Pass Rd, Donner State Memorial Park, Truckee

1910 Hollywood film companies began establishing Truckee as a center for the budding motion picture industry.

1844 Stephens-Townsend-

1863–1865 Gray’s Station Coburn’s Station (later re-named Truckee).

1846–1848

Thousands of emigrants passed westward through the Truckee Basin en route to California.

1866 First lumber mill.

1885 First trans-Sierra bicycle crossing. Thomas Stevens then continued across the country and around the world.

(Charlie Chaplin’s the Gold Rush, the highest grossing comedy, 1927).

1903 First motorized crossing of the U.S. went over Donner Pass (George Wyman)

1900s

1915 First transcontinental telephone line goes into service over Donner Summit with a four way phone call from Alexander Graham Bell, President Taft, and the president of ATT to Watson at the Panama Pacific Expo. The line was built in 1914.

1862–1866

Construction

1868 Ice was first harvested in the Truckee Basin at Boca.

1866-1868

Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad 40 miles of snowsheds were built to protect the RR. This allowed the trains to keep running (barring avalanche and fires).

1890s–1920s Truckee is established as a winter sports destination.

About 1920 the first transcontinental air route goes over Donner Summit.

1913-1915

Large winter carnivals were held in Truckee to pump up the local economy by bringing thousands of winter tourists to Truckee.

1875 The Boca Brewing Company brought more fame to Boca than any other industry.

20 MILE MUSEUM

Markers along old Hwy 40 Eagle Lakes to Donner Lake donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

DONNER SUMMIT

HISTORICAL SOCIETY

21501 Donner Pass Rd, Soda Springs 530-426-3376 donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

GATEKEEPERS MUSEUM

130 West Lake Blvd, Tahoe City 530-583-1762 northtahoemuseums.org

KIDZONE MUSEUM

11711 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee 530-587-5437; kidzonemuseum.org

OLYMPIC MUSEUM

Squaw Valley (High Camp) 1960 Squaw Valley Rd 800-403-0206 squawalpine.com/events-andactivities/activity-finder/olympicmuseum

TRUCKEE-DONNER

HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND OLD JAIL MUSEUM

Jibboom and Spring St 530-582-0893; truckeehistory.org

TRUCKEE RAILROAD MUSEUM

10075 Donner Pass Rd truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com

WESTERN SKISPORT MUSEUM

19865 Boreal Ridge Rd Boreal Ski Area, Soda Springs 530-426-3313 ext. 113 tahoesbest.com/western-skisportmuseum-lake-tahoe

MUSEUM OF TRUCKEE HISTORY 10065 Donner Pass Rd; truckeehistory.org

1915–1926

Lincoln Highway, America’s first transcontinental road, is built over Donner Pass.

1930’s The advent of modern skiing—improved equipment, improved technique, and ski lifts—first chair lift in California 1939, as well as the first destination ski area Sugar Bowl. First actual ski school in California—California Ski School at Soda Springs or Beacon Hill.

1932 Highway 40 was first plowed in winter allowing winter access for tourists and commerce. Prior they had to wait for snow melt.

1960 The Winter Olympics descend on the Truckee area at Squaw Valley establishing the Truckee-Tahoe area as a major resort destination for year-round recreation.

1964 completed allowing people to go further faster replacing Highway 40 (The Victory Highway) as the main route.

1970s Major subdivisions developed in and around Truckee, as people sought the lifestyle provided by a small town.

2009 Commercial RowBrickelltown Historic District, developed from 1870 to 1930, added to the National Register of Historic Places and includes the significant parts of Truckee’s early commercial district.

1932–1940 The Southern Pacific establishes the excursion train called “The Snowball Special”.

2000s

1993 The Town of Truckee incorporates, garnering more than 70 percent local approval, with the big issues being area land use planning, snow removal and road maintenance.

2013 The Town of Truckee celebrates 150 years since establishment, and 20 years of incorporation. Truckee continues to preserve and restore its historic character, and grow in popularity as a resort destination.