Until modern times peaceful Lake Tahoe lay mostly undisturbed by man, except for the seasonal summer visits by the Wahoe Indians in search of quail, grouse, trout and other game. They built no permanent structures. John C. Fremont entered the eastern Sierra slopes near Stevens Peak in 1844 seeing the alpine lake to the north but did not enter the basin. Except for the Pacific Coastal region, the area remained uninhabited for many years. In 1848 flake gold was discovered in Colma on the American River on the Eastern slopes of the Sierra's. Over the next several years tens of thousands of would be miners, farmers, businessmen and tradesman migrated west traversing to the south and north of then Lake Bonpland later changed to Lake Bigler after 1852. There were many trails over the Sierra's but none penetrated the lake basin. Washoe Indians were still the only visitors from spring to fall in the area and Lake Tahoe remained undisturbed to around 1855.
East of Lake Tahoe in Gold canyon or Washoe canyon where miners were recovering gold in streambeds, a bluish silver quartz was discovered near present day Virginia City and suddenly thousands of pedestrians rushed eastward to the new discovery. Over the mountain passes along the lake to Glenbrook and from there eastward to Virginia City.
Glenbrook was more than a roadhouse stop for stages and the silver crazed looking for riches. The new silver camps needed timber for business buildings, houses and for the square set underground supports of mine tunnels. The magnificent stands of trees in the basin became a focal point. A man, Captain Pray built a sawmill on the lake early in the summer of 1861 at this only permanent community. In Lake Valley on the west shore, a small water-powered mill sent logs across the lake which were collected in the corner of what had become Glenbrook Bay. Wagons drawn by horses carried the cut lumber to the top of Spooner summit where they were sent down by flumes and on to the silver mines. Over time several other sawmills popped up, many much closer and easier to send timbers to the silver mines. At one point there were at least six mills in and around Glenbrook.
In 1864 Captain Pray saw the beginnings of tourism. He began operating a small excursion steamer, the Governor Blaisdel, for the pleasure and recreation on the lake. This was but the beginning of further lumber and steamship operations at Lake Tahoe. A resort and spa also provided boating and other recreational fun for the wealth Virginia City mining and business owners. Tiring of the continuing mine blasts, the dust and dirt and the fast pace, the wealth could enjoy the Glenbrook House entertainment and fare. The surrounding meadows provided cool relaxing hikes, horse rides while the lake gave boating and swimming and a sandy beach.
Where the Truckee river flows from and cluster of dwellings built in the mid-1860's became known as Tahoe City. People from San Francisco with summer homes there came and stayed the entire summer. With a hotel, saloons, store and dozens of small craft at anchor, the Governor Blaisdel ran between Glenbrook and Tahoe City on a regular routine. About this time it was estimated that as many as 6600 men on foot, 880 horsemen and several thousand stagecoach trips took place in one summer alone. This slowed in the late 1860's as the new train in the new town of Truckee made travel easier and faster. However this did not slow activities at Lake Tahoe. The demand for timber and water became big business. With the major revival of mining in and around Virginia City, the demand for both grew. With Lake Tahoe's virgin stands of timer and abundant water, the attack of Lake Tahoe was underway.
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