A stunning Lake Tahoe estate once owned by a popular author of Wild West stories and a philanthropist known for hosting Oscar de la Renta fashion shows is going on sale.
The Brushwood Estate, which has over a century of history, was named by the writer Stewart Edward White after he bought the 6.2-acre property with 400 feet of lake access in the 1920s.
Now on sale for $45 million, the California estate – which has a six-bedroom main home, five bathrooms, a private dock, hot tub and a two-bedroom guesthouse – has been updated to include modern amenities.
The Brushwood Estate, which has over a century of history, was named by the writer Stewart Edward White after he bought the 6.2-acre property with 400 feet of lake access in the 1920s. Pictured: The estate’s main home, surrounded by old-growth trees
Now on sale for $45 million, the California estate – which has a six-bedroom main home, five bathrooms, a private dock, hot tub and a two-bedroom guesthouse – has been updated to include modern amenities
Previous owner White, whose most famous work is Disney-adapted The Saga of Andy Burnett, named his home after fellow author Rudyard Kipling’s story ‘The Brushwood Boy’ because he thought the tale of adventure reflected the estate’s nature
Ever the outdoorsman – President Theodore Roosevelt named him ‘the best man with both pistol and rifle who ever shot’ – White built three yurts on his land and travelled to the North Shore in summer to write his books. Pictured: The estate’s private dock
The estate was later bought by the socialites Richard and Ruth Shainwald in 1927. They built a large home featuring a huge fireplace and high ceilings on the land, where they were known to host expensive parties. Pictured: The stunning home at dusk
Since the Shainwalds, the estate has only two other owners – including its current one, philanthropist Tamara Fritz. Pictured: A view of paradise from one of the home’s main rooms
Since the Shainwalds, the estate has only two other owners – including its current one, philanthropist Tamara Fritz. Pictured: Sun loungers by the shore
Fritz has owned the home since 1996 and is known for having put on a series of fashion shows featuring the work of Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta
More sun loungers on the property’s beautifully lush lawn. Fritz is reportedly keen to sell the estate because her children are now adults and the family rarely has time to meet at the home
Tahoe Luxury Real Estate agent Bill Dietz said the listing is ‘not a fancy and pretentious house’, but rather a beautifully crafted and understated property. Pictured: The dock
Stewart Edward White, whose most famous work is Disney-adapted The Saga of Andy Burnett, named his home after fellow author Rudyard Kipling’s story ‘The Brushwood Boy’ because he thought the tale of adventure reflected the estate’s nature
White, whose most famous work is Disney-adapted The Saga of Andy Burnett, named his home after fellow author Rudyard Kipling’s story ‘The Brushwood Boy’ because he thought the tale of adventure reflected the estate’s nature.
Ever the outdoorsman – President Theodore Roosevelt named him ‘the best man with both pistol and rifle who ever shot’ – White built three yurts on his land and travelled to the North Shore in summer to write his books.
According to SFGate, the estate was later bought by the socialites Richard and Ruth Shainwald in 1927.
They built a large home featuring a huge fireplace and high ceilings on the land, where they were known to host expensive parties.
Since the Shainwalds, the estate has only two other owners – including its current one, philanthropist Tamara Fritz.
She has owned the home since 1996 and is known for having put on a series of fashion shows featuring the work of Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta.
Dietz added: ‘This is a style of house that stays in a family for generations. We expect the next buyer to hold onto it for generations as the past owners have and share it with their families.’ Pictured: The living room of the main property
The land – situated about two miles from Tahoe City – comes with old-growth trees and a manicured lawn. Pictured: A glimpse of the gorgeous greenery outside
The 6.2-acre estate comes with all modern amenities. It also features a 2,293-square-foot guesthouse with capacity to accommodate many lucky visitors
The property comes with its own hot tub – and plenty of room to lounge in the sun. Perhaps not the kind of thing outdoorsman Stewart Edward White would go for, but delightful nonetheless
White, the estate’s most famous owner, wrote books about the West at a time when the country’s wilderness was fast becoming tamed. What he would make of the American wilderness now is anyone’s guess
A grand entrance: On the walk to the main property’s door, beautiful old trees dwarf everything in sight. The lawn has also been kept in pristine condition
The property’s kitchen did not originally have a refrigerator but now, as you can see, comes with every modern amenity you could wish for
The large stone fireplace was installed by the socialite Shainwalds after they bought the property in 1927. On the mantelpiece is, perhaps, an homage to the West’s lost wilderness. Grizzly bears are extinct in California, having once been abundant
Who’d live in a house like this? The property, designed to let in maximum light with its huge windows, has only had a handful of owners
Elegant, convenient, but with a touch of rusticism: The estate is the perfect blend between genuine wilderness and complete comfort
Plenty of room at the inn: The estate eight bedrooms in total – six in the main home and two in the guesthouse. But, of course, there is plenty of space for more visitors
Fritz is reportedly keen to sell the estate because her children are now adults and the family rarely has time to meet at the home.
Tahoe Luxury Real Estate agent Bill Dietz said the listing is ‘not a fancy and pretentious house’, but rather a beautifully crafted and understated property.
He added: ‘This is a style of house that stays in a family for generations. We expect the next buyer to hold onto it for generations as the past owners have and share it with their families.’
The land – situated about two miles from Tahoe City – comes with old-growth trees and a manicured lawn.