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History of the Oldest Cabin In Tahoe City

                                 By Sierra Sakrison

 

The Watson Cabin was built in 1909 as a honeymoon cottage. Robert Montgomery Watson, who served as the first constable of Tahoe City from 1906 to 1932, started building it with his third son, Robert Howard Watson, Rob, in 1908. It is the oldest structure in Tahoe City built on its original site. The cabin was finished in 1909 and was presented as a honeymoon gift for Rob and his wife Stella Tong Watson. Rob and Stella had a daughter, Mildred Watson Collins. The first floor contains the original two rooms, the living room and the kitchen. Upstairs are two bedrooms, a sewing room, and a bathroom. The cabin was idealic that for several summers prior to 1920, Universal Studios would set up camp and use the Watson Cabin as a set for a number of two-reel films. Often showing people entering or leaving the front door. Earl Williams can be seen pictured with Robert. Despite the cabin’s brief moment in the starlight, now it’s famous for its rich history.

 

Today the cabin is owned by the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society (NLTHS), however, it took quite some maneuvering to make it that way. The cabin began to gain traction and had many visitors, so in 1926 Stella pushed for a change and the family bought some land West of current day Dollar Point, beginning construction of a sawmill. They would rent out the cabin and spend time at their property in Tahoe as well as in Placer County, after buying the Mill property. In 1947, the cabin was taken on by the Hunt family, E.P. “Husky” and Fern and turned the cabin into the Hunt’s Gift Shop, a store that specialized in selling indigenous rugs, jewelry, and other “Gifts from Around the World”. They were mostly known for their Navajo rugs. When Husky retired 25 years after running shop from every Memorial Day to Labor Day, it turned into the Potter’s wheel, owned by Betty Layton. Betty Layton, who started the NLTHS, leased the cabin and worked with Stella and Mildred Watson toward the NLTHS acquiring it. However, the big issue came into place when it was discovered a corner of the living room was built on Commons Beach property, so the NLTHS could not own the cabin without a clear title. So the NLTHS decided that the Tahoe City Public Utility District (TCPUD) could own it. Unwilling to spend public funds, the NLTHS held raising events to come up with the $8,000 down payment allowing the TCPUD to buy the cabin in 1979. The Board of Directors of NLTHS and TCPUD wrote the guidelines for the tenant’s lease, so the historic cabin could be preserved and listed as a California Historical Landmark. The Potter’s Wheel open from June to January for 8 years, until her daughter, Judy Layton, took over and only had it closed in January. The shed in the back of the cabin was used for the Layton painting gallery. The Potter’s Wheel featured all handcrafted pottery, many of which were made by nationally recognized potters. The rent money from the Potter’s Wheel and grant was used to renovate the cabin in the Spring of 1980. In one of the renovations, old newspapers from 1908 and 1909 can be found in the walls used as insulation. The Potter’s Wheel lease terminated in 1989, the TCPUD and NLTHS met and the NLTHS obtained a lease agreement from them for a dollar a year rent for 100 years. All commercial use in the future would be banned, and strictly used as a seasonal museum.

 

The Watson’s maintained a relationship with the Washoe Tribe. During the summer, the Washoe Tribe would travel from Carson City to Lake Tahoe. Among them, Dat So La Lee, a renowned basket maker, would weave baskets at the mouth of the Truckee River. Tourists would gather to witness Dat So La Lee’s artistry. Other well-known members also included the Washoe elder, Captain Pete and his wife, Agnes, who were friends of the Watsons. The Watson family knew and were friendly with many members of the Washoe tribe, often hosting them in their house, providing a place to stay and food to eat. Mildred remembers the large indigenous grinding stone at the mouth of the river, and her father later moving it to the front of the Watson Cabin, where it currently sits.

 

Robert and Rob Watson also helped construct several other iconic buildings. Robert helped build the Gatekeeper’s Cabin, the first school house, where his son Rob attended near the Boatworks. Rob went on to construct the Outdoor Episcopal Chapel, the Lookout Station at Martis Peak, the Casino at Tallac, log house at Al Tahoe for the Lehys, and the Lighthouse at Sugar Pine Point. Robert also operated the Tahoe Inn, at the time it was only in operation in summer due to the train from Truckee to Tahoe City not being cleared in the winter. Robert employed several Washoe tribe members as well as Stella’s parents and brother, Wert Tong would help out in the summer, leading to Rob and Stella meeting. Wert Tong eventually took over. Stella’s two sisters had also married two of Scott’s sons who owned Deer Park Springs, now the site of River Ranch. Mildred Watson, while attending UC Berkely, was taken out of school briefly by her grandfather Robert Watson to help mark the Emigrant trail, adding to the family’s deep history rooted in Lake Tahoe.

 

The Watson Cabin and its many inhabitants over the years illuminate some of Lake Tahoe’s rich history. Despite the tribulations that came with the NLTHS gaining ownership of the iconic cabin, it couldn’t be in better hands.

 

 

All sources from the NLTHS Watson Cabin archives.